The Toronto Blue Jays have recalled Easton Lucas and have optioned Justin Bruihl to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons amid bullpen struggles. Between the Bisons and Rookie ball this season, Lucas has sported a 2-3 record with a 4.05 ERA, along with 61 punch outs and a 1.244 WHIP across 58 2/3 innings pitched. At the major league level, he has a 3-3 record this season with a 6.66 ERA in six games (five starts).
Blue Jays Rookie Easton Lucas Recalled Due to Struggles in the ‘Pen
ROSTER MOVES:
? LHP Easton Lucas recalled from Triple-A and will be active for today’s game
? LHP Justin Bruihl optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/VpAGc3D8L5
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 30, 2025
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Lucas pitched dominantly in his first couple of starts, but then fell into trouble. On April 2nd, he pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, and striking out three batters to earn his first win with Toronto against the Washington Nationals. In that start, he performed with composure and demonstrated good control. Overall, this is where his confidence was boosted as an MLB starter. But with the recent struggles in the pen, recalling Lucas to pitch in relief is a smart move. His experience, despite a small sample size, can be utilized in the bullpen.
Bullpen Struggles
This move comes at a time where the Blue Jays have had some struggles in the bullpen. They also received unfortunate news with high-leverage reliever Yimi Garcia. The veteran will miss the remainder of the season to undergo elbow surgery.
Relievers such as Jeff Hoffman and Brendon Little have been inconsistent in their recent outings. Both have surrendered runs that have cost the Blue Jays games. Little’s struggles stem primarily from inconsistent control and a declining strikeout rate. This emerged in August, leading hitters to lay off his curveball.
Both Hoffman and Little have been otherwise dominant this season, and their recent hiccups have come at a key time where the Blue Jays cannot afford to get into losing streaks. They are currently two games ahead of the New York Yankees, who are looking to get back into first place in the AL East.
The Blue Jays took a 7-2 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday and a 4-1 loss on Saturday. Milwaukee has an MLB-best 85-52 record this season. The Blue Jays need to figure things out in the pen, as it would be a blow to lose their lead in the AL East. To get back to their winning ways, the Blue Jays may need to utilize the comeback as they have all season. Their most recent comeback victory was a 9-8 win on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins, where Addison Barger hit a two-run double to snag the win.
Main Photo Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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