Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Louis Varland. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Blue Jays' Louis Varland proving his reliability in the bullpen

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Apr 9, 2026 5:05 PM ET

Setup man Louis Varland has been getting the job done efficiently in the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen this season.

Varland was a crucial piece in the pen in 2025 after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Twins. He’s also become one of manager John Schneider's most prized relievers.

As a high-leverage upside arm, he’s showed how he can help the offense by getting out of jams.

Louis Varland's admirable success with the Blue Jays

In his most recent outing on April 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he played a big role in helping the Blue Jays break their six-game losing streak.

He entered the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no outs and only surrendered one run.

King Louis Varland just came in with bases loaded and none out, and proceeded to get Teoscar, Pages and Freeland in succession. His FF hit 99.2 with 18 inches of IVB, offset by his knuckle curve at 88 with -8 IVB and 4" HB. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/XsmZzz8ExK
— OK Blue Jays (@JaysClubhouse) April 8, 2026

His velocity (98.1) is a major component of his game that helps him strike out opponents. He also sets the bar high in the pen as the only reliever on the roster who can top his fastball at 100 mph or higher consistently.

The 28-year-old has been a lockdown reliever who’s sported a 0.00 ERA. a 1.05 WHIP with nine punchouts so far this season. He’s picked up from last season, where he recorded a respectable 2.97 ERA.

He also set an MLB record for 15 appearances in the Blue Jays' postseason run in 2025. This contributed to his durability in the bullpen.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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