Toronto Blue Jays lefty Brendon Little dominating in Triple-A Buffalo

To say that Brendon Little's start to the Toronto Blue Jays 2026 season was underwhelming would be an understatement.

Across five appearances, he managed just 11 outs while surrendering 10 hits and 10 earned runs.

He also gave up three home runs, issued three walks, and recorded six strikeouts, numbers that left little room for optimism.

His struggles weren’t limited to one side of the plate. Both left- and right-handed hitters found success against him, with lefties doing particular damage by hitting two home runs in just six at-bats.

That lack of a reliable matchup advantage made it difficult to carve out a clear role for him.

When paired with his 4.88 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over the second half of last season, along with some uneven playoff performances, his demotion felt less like a surprise and more like an inevitability.

Since joining the Buffalo Bisons, Little has shown signs of stability. Over four outings, he’s allowed just two hits and no earned runs while striking out five.

There are still areas of concern, though. He’s issued three walks and uncorked two wild pitches, though some of that damage has been erased by his ability to induce ground-ball double plays—three so far.

Buffalo has primarily used him in the middle innings, typically between the fifth and seventh, though a couple of appearances have been shortened due to rain or doubleheader scheduling.

From a stuff perspective, not much has changed. His pitch velocities remain consistent, and his underlying metrics closely resemble where they finished during his 2025 and early 2026 stretches with Toronto.

That includes a hard-hit rate sitting around 50%, right in line with his recent track record.

Ultimately, Little’s demotion underscores the organization’s focus on performance and its commitment to fielding the strongest possible 26-man roster.

If he hopes to earn another shot in the majors, simply posting scoreless outings won’t be enough.

He’ll need to demonstrate improved command within the strike zone while also doing a better job of limiting hard contact, especially keeping the ball in the park.

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