Roster snafu in Jays’ loss
A roster mixup forced the Blue Jays to change their pitching plans for Thursday’s game against the Braves, who then beat them 43 in Atlanta on Nick Markakis’ ninthinning home run.
After Toronto’s Nate Pearson gave up three runs in five innings, manager Charlie Montoyo brought in righthander Jacob Waguespack to open the sixth.
As Waguespack got to the mound, he was greeted by plate umpire Alan Porter, who told Waguespack that he wasn’t on Toronto’s 28man active roster.
The Blue Jays had optioned Waguespack and infielder Santiago Espinal to the team’s alternate training site Thursday to reach the 28man roster limit. But Montoyo told reporters before the game that Waguespack had been recalled when righthander Trent Thornton was placed on the 10day injured list because of right elbow inflammation. That move apparently was not processed, leaving Waguespack off the active roster.
Waguespack walked to the dugout and Montoyo brought in Rafael Dolis as the official replacement for Pearson.
Montoyo said the digital lineup Porter had did not include Waguespack.
“At the end of the day, if he doesn’t have it, there’s nothing else I can say because the one he has is the one that counts,” Montoyo said. Roster cuts: With teams required to cut their rosters from 30 to 28, among the players sent to alternate training sites were Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar, Brewers third baseman Ryon Healy, Mariners reliever Bryan Shaw, Pirates infielder/outfielder Jose Osuna, Cubs reliever Rex Brothers and Dodgers reliever Adam Kolarek. Among players designated for assignment were Cleveland infielder Christian Arroyo and Atlanta outfielder Scott Schebler.
Medical report: The Rays put righthander Yonny Chirinos on the injured list because of triceps inflammation, MLB.com reported. Chirinos, who was 95 with a 3.85 ERA last season, has allowed one earned run over 82⁄3 innings in two starts this season . ... Twins righthander Jake Odorizzi, who has yet to pitch this season because of a back issue, will start against the Royals on Saturday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. ... Atlanta reliever Will Smith and Cleveland outfielder Delino DeShields, both of whom had been sidelined following a positive coronavirus test, were activated.
Briefly: Reliever Kelvin Herrera, a twotime AllStar who was released by the White Sox on Sunday after struggling in two outings, signed with the Cubs and was assigned to their alternate training site . ... Houston lefthander Kent Emanuel, who is on the team’s 40man roster, received an 80game suspension from Major League Baseball after testing positive for a banned substance. Emanuel was 82 with a 3.90 ERA at TripleA Round Rock last season.