Interview: Blue Jays' Louis Varland reflects on being traded to Toronto, setting postseason record
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland talks about the trade that initially caught him off guard, and how elated he was when he found out where.
In an interview with Blue Jays Nation's Tyson Shushkewich, Louis Varland talks about the trade to the Blue Jays, postseason record, and tinkering with his changeup.
Had the opportunity to speak with #BlueJays reliever Louis Varland.
We discussed:
- the trade deadline
- the postseason appearance record
- tinkering with his changeup this winter
We discussed:
- the trade deadline
- the postseason appearance record
- tinkering with his changeup this winter
The Blue Jays acquired Varland from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for outfielder Alan Roden and prospect pitcher Kendry Rojas at last years trade deadline.
Varland admits that the trade initially caught him off guard
«Honestly, I had no idea or inkling that I was going to be traded,» explained Varland, speaking to Blue Jays Nation. «The trade caught me completely off guard. «At first, it was a bit of a sad moment. I was a Twins fan from an early age growing up in Minnesota, and this was also my first time being traded or moved in my baseball career."
Shushkewich noted that at the time of the deal, Varland was having a career year.
Across 51 outings, the right-hander had amassed a 2.02 ERA and a 2.93 FIP across 49 innings of work, explained Shushkewich, including a 1.102 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9, and an 8.6 K/9 as one of the backend arms for the Twins bullpen.
While the initial shock of the trade was at the back of his mind, Varland's focus quickly shifted once he found out it was the Blue Jays that had traded for the hard-throwing reliever.
«Once I found out it was the Blue Jays who had traded for me, I was elated,» said Varland. «The organization was on a real hot streak, and it's exciting to know that a team thought that I would be able to help with their postseason push down the stretch. It felt even better once I actually landed in Toronto and got to see the facilities and the stadium from the home team's side of things. The facilities are top-notch, the stadium is just a great place to be, and my teammates were very welcoming in the clubhouse."
With the Blue Jays finishing first in the division, Varland was also heading to the postseason for the second time in his career.
Varland was called upon 15 times during the Blue Jays' run, setting a new MLB record for appearances in a single postseason (four times in the ALDS, six times in the ALCS, and five times in the World Series).
LOUIS VARLAND 101 MILES PER HOUR MY GOODNESS
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Across 16 innings of work, Varland pitched to a 3.94 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, allowing 14 hits, seven earned runs, and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts.
«It really means a lot to me to have that postseason appearances record,» Varland told Shushkewich. «I think one of the best things you can do as a reliever is be available, and it means a lot that the coaching staff trusted me to go out there and get the job done. I always want to be that guy, to play through the tough moments and produce for the team, and that's what I think makes me valuable to the organization".
With the 2025 season behind us, Varland has been hard at work this offseason to get prepared for his first full campaign with the Jays organization.
The expectation is that he will once again be a go-to arm for the Blue Jays in high-leverage situations in 2026.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 27|69 ANSWERS Interview: Blue Jays' Louis Varland reflects on being traded to Toronto, setting postseason record Do you think Louis Varland will break out in 2026? | ||
| Yes | 62 | 89.9 % |
| No | 2 | 2.9 % |
| Too early to tell | 5 | 7.2 % |
| List of polls | ||