Blue Jays bring back erstwhile all-star

Sanchez trying to resurrect career

Desperate for some pitching help and depth, the Toronto Blue Jays are turning to an arm that was once expected to be an ace starter for the team.

A source confirmed to Postmedia the Jays have agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with righthander Aaron Sanchez, who will report to the triple-A Buffalo Bisons in an attempt to resurrect a career derailed by injuries and struggles in form.

A pitcher for the Jays between 2014 and 2019, Sanchez was an all-star in 2016 when he received some Cy Young Award votes after posting an American League best 3.00 ERA while logging a workload of 192 innings for the team.

After battling hand injuries through parts of the 2018 and 2019 season, the Jays dealt Sanchez to the Houston Astros in a swap that returned outfielder Derek Fisher.

Since that trade, it's been a struggle for the California native, who previously pitched in the majors in 2022 for the Minnesota Twins. The now 31-year-old spent the past two seasons bouncing around minor-league stints with the Twins and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations.

For the Jays, the signing comes with little risk as the team looks to add some starting pitching depth following a rugged start to the season for the team. Still in search of a reliable fifth starter, the Jays have already turned to three pitchers for that role — Bowden Francis (injured), Yariel Rodriguez (injured) and Alek Manoah, who struggled in his return to the big leagues on Sunday after nine months seeking to re-establish his form.

In his parts of six seasons with the Jays, Sanchez had a record of 32-33 with an ERA of 3.96. The signing was first reported by Sportsnet's Jamie Campbell.

Aaron Sanchez