Roster Shuffling: (Again?)

 

Yes, the Blue Jays had some significant roster shuffling in both the higher levels and the lower levels of the minor league system on Thursday.

 

 

A.J. Jimenez
A.J. Jimenez

It all started at the top when A.J. Jimenez was put on the Temporarily Inactive List with some nerve irritation in his right (throwing) elbow, a la Shi Davidi:

 


This resulted in the promotion of C Jack Murphy from Double-A New Hampshire. Additionally, relief pitcher Tommy Hottovy was put on the DL.

 

Catcher Jack Murphy (left) throws a knuckleball with Sean Nolin looking on.
Catcher Jack Murphy (left) throws a knuckleball with Sean Nolin looking on.

 

With Murphy going up to Triple-A, the Blue Jays promoted catcher Chris Schaeffer to New Hampshire along with outfielder Jonathan Jones. Schaeffer is 25 and has been injured for most of this year but put up a .161/.243/.177 line in 21 games for Dunedin. Jones has also been injured most of the year but has done a little better, hitting .227/.299/.299 in 98 at bats. 1B Gabe Jacobo went back on the DL for the Fisher Cats.

 

With the space created in Dunedin, the Blue Jays signed minor league free agent catcher Brian Compton to back up for Derrick Chung the rest of the year. OF Nick Baligod came off the DL to take over Jonathan Jones’s spot on the roster and SS Emilio Guerrero was promoted from Lansing.

 

Emilio Guerrero
Emilio Guerrero

 

Baligod has had a solid year, hitting .276/.345/.372 as a 25 year old in Dunedin while Guerrero started slowly but has been on a tear in Lansing, hitting .277/.355/.402 over the course of the season and the promotion is well deserved.

 

Finally, moving up from the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays (who just finished their season today) sent two pitchers up to the Bluefield Blue Jays in Jimmy Cordero and Miguel Castro.

 

Cordero’s a 21-year-old Dominican whose overall numbers look a little ugly, but he’s been very good since the middle of July. Since July 26, he’s made 9 appearances and has given up only one run in 14 1/3 innings and has struck out 20 and walked only 6 over that span.

 

I’ve written about Miguel Castro before. He’s also a Dominican but is only 18 and has really been tearing up the Dominican Summer League this year and has had some strong outings in Dunedin. His last start was his best, going 7 shutout innings for the GCL Jays and surrendered just 2 hits while striking out 6.