The Toronto Blue Jays have received another injury in their bullpen with reliever Zach Pop, who will miss Opening Day with an elbow injury. The 28-year-old felt some right elbow pain following his last outing on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Manager John Schneider doesn’t want to take any risk with his elbow as it is his throwing arm. Pop surrendered two earned runs across 0.2 innings of work.
The good news is that an MRI has indicated no structural damage, and he is experiencing inflammation in his elbow. Pop will be on the injury list for 7 to 10 days and won’t be participating in any throwing. The Blue Jays already have Erik Swanson and Ryan Burr on the IL, which means that their bullpen depth will be tested early to start the season. With Pop’s injury, the Blue Jays have plenty of arms they can turn to such as Dillon Tate, Nick Sandlin, Josh Walker, and more. Sandlin has already been on the radar to provide key contributions in the bullpen this season.
Pop’s Reliever Career
When it comes to Pop, he hasn’t gotten the reputation as the most effective reliever in the pen for the Blue Jays over the past few seasons. In 2023, he sported an ERA of 6.59 across 13.2 innings and a 5.59 ERA last season. But despite his high ERA, he has established himself with durability and reliability. With 58 appearances made in 2024, he ranks second on the roster. The right-handed reliever sported an impressive ERA for the Blue Jays in 2022 with a 2-0 record and a 1.89 ERA across 19 innings pitched. Pop has also pitched for the Miami Marlins, and in 2021, he put up the most depth in terms of innings pitched with 54.2, along with 51 strikeouts.
Pop’s Pitching Arsenal
Pop’s best pitch is his sinker, which he turns to the most. He relies on it 60 % of the time. It also tops at 96.2 mph and provides late movement. In addition, it generates a lot of ground balls. He sported an impressive ground-ball rate of 57.1% back in 2022. Another pitch that is part of his arsenal is his slider. His slider reaches the mid-80s and he throws it around 39 % of the time. It also produces a solid arm-side run. Pop is also known for being a swing-and-miss reliever with his cutter.
He added this pitch last season and provided him with a heavy sink. He’s emerged in a role as a late-inning reliever primarily because of the velocity he provides in the bullpen. So far in camp this season, he has made seven appearances and struck out eight batters with a 5.40 ERA across 6.2 innings. Throughout his career with the Blue Jays, Pop has bounced back and forth between the Buffalo Bisons and the majors. In 2023, Pop was also sidelined with a hamstring injury, and in 2021, with a finger injury.
Main Photo Credits: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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