To make room, Dillon Tate was designated for assignment
After playing Thursday’s series capper against the Los Angeles Angels shorthanded in the infield, the Toronto Blue Jays have selected the contract of Michael Stefanic from the triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose quad injury caused the shorthandedness, has been placed on the 10-day injured list.
To make room for Stefanic on the 40-man roster, reliever Dillon Tate—who had been optioned to Buffalo on Wednesday—was designated for assignment.
Stefanic, who is now with the Jays in Seattle, narrowly missed a reunion with the Angels, with whom he had some playing time over the past three seasons. Now 29, Stefanic entered professional baseball as a non-drafted free agent after interviewing to be a legal assistant and beat the odds to make it to the big leagues at age 26. He has primarily been a second baseman, but has logged significant time at third base and shortstop as well. Expect someone who can put the bat to the ball, but don’t expect someone who can launch dingers.
As a reliever with options, Tate may find himself being claimed by another ballclub, but should he pass through outright waivers, he can elect free agency. Wearing #9, Dillon Tate became just the seventh Blue Jays full-time pitcher (as opposed to position players pitching, indicated by asterisks below) to wear a single digit uniform number. The full list of players who have worn a single digit number on the mound for the Blue Jays are:
- 0️⃣ None
- 1️⃣ Bob Bailor*, Whit Merrifield*, Shun Yamaguchi
- 2️⃣ Clayton Richard
- 3️⃣ None
- 4️⃣ Kyle Drabek, Frank Menechino*
- 5️⃣ Santiago Espinal*, Craig Kusick*
- 6️⃣ Jeff Mathis*, Alek Manoah, Marcus Stroman
- 7️⃣ Isaiah Kiner-Falefa*, Josh Towers, Richard Ureña*
- 8️⃣ Kendrys Morales*
- 9️⃣ Rick Leach*, Cliff Pennington*, Dillon Tate
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