Toronto Blue Jays sign former Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star
Photo credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays have re-signed left-hander Joe Mantiply.
The Toronto Blue Jays have brought back left-handed reliever Joe Mantiply on a minor league contract, extending him a non-roster invitation to major league spring training.
OFFICIAL: We've signed LHP Joe Mantiply to a Minor League deal with an invite to #SpringTraining.
Mantiply wrapped up last season in the Blue Jays organization after being released by the Arizona Diamondbacks in June.
#BlueJays announce they've signed Joe Mantiply to a minor-league deal. He joined them late last season and pitched in AAA. They've historically cornered the market on 2022 All Stars: Kirk, Vladdy, Giménez, Springer, Mantiply, Espinal, France, Romano, Manoah
Mantiply will look to compete for a bullpen spot in camp.
He signed with Toronto on a minor league deal shortly after the All-Star break and initially reported to the club's Florida complex to build up before joining Triple-A Buffalo.
With the Bisons, Mantiply logged 15 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs, six of them earned.
While the surface-level run prevention numbers were modest, he was dominant in one key area striking out 19 batters without issuing a single walk across 64 Triple-A opponents.
That performance didn't earn him a return to the majors in 2025, but the Blue Jays saw enough to bring him back after he elected minor league free agency over the winter.
The 35-year-old southpaw was an unlikely All-Star as recently as 2022, when he posted a 2.85 ERA over a career-high 60 innings.
Mantiply's game is built on command and movement rather than overpowering velocity.
His sinker averaged just 88.4 mph last season, but it features quality movement, pairing effectively with his changeup to generate ground balls.
As recently as 2024, he served as a dependable middle reliever.
However, his brief major league stint last year was a struggle, as he surrendered 17 runs in just 9 2/3 innings.
Toronto boasts one of the stronger overall rosters in baseball, though established left-handed relief options remain somewhat limited.
Eric Lauer is expected to handle a multi-inning role. Mason Fluharty brings a soft-tossing, cutter-heavy approach, while Brendon Little offers more raw velocity.
Both have the ability to miss bats but have struggled at times with consistent command.
Meanwhile, Ricky Tiedemann could enter the picture either as a starter or reliever during his rookie campaign, though the frequently injured former top prospect is once again dealing with elbow discomfort early in camp.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 3|73 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays sign former Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Was re-signing Left hander Joe Mantiply a good move for the Toronto Blue Jays? | ||
| Yes | 37 | 50.7 % |
| No | 12 | 16.4 % |
| Too early to tell | 24 | 32.9 % |
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