Shawn Armstrong inks one-year deal with Guardians

The 35-year-old is coming off a strong season with the Texas Rangers in 2025. Over 74 innings, Armstrong had a 2.31 ERA and 3.07 FIP in 74 innings pitched, with a 26.1 K% and 7 BB%. He also picked up a career-high nine saves in 12 opportunities, alongside 12 holds. This is Armstrong’s second stint with the Guardians, as he was drafted by the team in 2011 and spent his first three seasons with them from 2015 until 2017. This move comes one day after the Guardians traded for Justin Bruihl.

Armstrong is best known among Blue Jays’ circles for his stints in the American League East. He pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in 2019, 2020, and 2021, before joining the Tampa Bay Rays in the second half of 2021. Other than the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Armstrong didn’t find much success in these seasons.

However, after a brief stint in 2022 with the Miami Marlins, Armstrong returned to the Rays and posted a 3.60 ERA and 3.29 FIP in 55 innings pitched. His career-best season came in 2023 with the Rays, where he had a 1.38 ERA and 2.54 FIP in 52 innings pitched.

Beginning the 2024 season with the Rays, Armstrong had a 5.40 ERA and 3.77 FIP in 46.2 innings pitched, but was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals ahead of the trade deadline. He finished his season with the Chicago Cubs, before joining the Rangers ahead of the 2025 season.

Of any team in the league, the Toronto Blue Jays have some of the best success against Armstrong. In 26.1 innings against the Jays, Armstrong has a 6.49 ERA, his highest ERA against any team aside from his 12 ERA against the Washington Nationals in nine innings pitched. That said, he pitched a clean four and two-thirds inning over three outings against the Jays in 2025.

It seems as if the Blue Jays are all done making major moves for their bullpen. Last Friday, they traded prospect Johan Simon to the Detroit Tigers for Chase Lee. Later that day, they signed Taylor Rogers to a three-year deal, giving the team another high-leverage bullpen option. It wouldn’t be surprising if they make a few more moves, but another major addition with the relievers left in free agency seems unlikely.