The Toronto Blue Jays are in need of bullpen help and had hoped veteran right-hander Erik Swanson could provide it. However, while he’s returning to Toronto, it won’t be to take the mound just yet.
Swanson, 31, was sidelined after experiencing tightness in his right forearm before a scheduled outing for Class A Dunedin. As a result, he’s been shut down and will now consult with team doctors to determine his next steps.
Swanson began the season on the 15-day injured list due to a right median nerve entrapment. He also dealt with forearm fatigue earlier in spring training. According to manager John Schneider, Swanson had been making progress in his throwing program, but the forearm tightness returned during a game of catch.
Last season, Swanson battled injuries and posted a 2-2 record with a 5.03 ERA over 45 appearances. He recorded 37 strikeouts and 14 walks in 39.1 innings.
Despite last year’s struggles, Swanson had been a dependable reliever in the previous three seasons, split between the Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. In 2023 with Toronto, he posted a 4-2 record and a 2.97 ERA across 69 games, striking out 75 and walking 21 over 66.2 innings.
In 2022 with Seattle, he went 3-2 with an impressive 1.68 ERA in 57 appearances, tallying 70 strikeouts and 10 walks over 53.2 innings. In 2021, he posted a 3.31 ERA in 33 games.
Since his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2019, Swanson has a career record of 10-16 with a 3.97 ERA, alongside 278 strikeouts and 69 walks in 260.2 innings.
He was originally selected in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers out of Iowa Western Community College.
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