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Blue Jays Select Richard Lovelady’s Contract: Key Points and Analysis
Contract Selection and Injury Moves
| Announcement | Details |
|---|---|
| Announced By | The Blue Jays officially announced that they have selected the contract of left-hander Richard Lovelady. |
| Corresponding Move | Right-hander Alek Manoah, recovering from Tommy John surgery, has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. |
| Source | Hazel Mae of Sportsnet announced the moves prior to the official announcement. |
Lovelady’s Performance and Background
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Age and Contract | Lovelady, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Jays in January. He made his seventh appearance today, allowing one earned run, pushing his earned run average to 5.14, with eight strikeouts in seven innings. |
| Career Statistics | His career track record shows 99 1/3 innings in the majors, with stints at the Royals, Athletics, Cubs, and Rays. His 21.1% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate were close to league average, but he had a strong 50.9% ground ball rate. |
| Recent Outing | With the Jays this spring, he came into today with a grounder rate of just 35.7%. Today’s outing went walk, ground ball double play, homer, ground ball single, walk, ground out. |
Current Roster Dynamics
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Key Dates | Opening Day is still over a week away. Adding Lovelady to the roster now suggests he had an opt-out in his deal, and the Jays didn’t want him to get away. Left-handed relief is one of the bigger question marks on the Toronto roster. |
| Other Options | The Jays also have Brendon Little, Josh Walker, and Easton Lucas on the 40-man, but they all have options and less than 50 innings of MLB experience. |
Lovelady’s Future with the Jays
| Uncertainty and Options | Details |
|---|---|
| Contract Status and Manager’s Comment | Lovelady is out of options but not guaranteed a spot. Manager John Schneider relayed that Lovelady is still trying to earn a spot on the active roster, despite being on the 40-man. |
| Possible Outcomes | If Lovelady ends up on waivers, another club might put in a claim. If he clears waivers, his next steps depend on the salary figures in his minor league deal. He has at least three years of service time, giving him the right to reject an outright assignment but electing free agency means walking away from money still owed on his deal. The salary figures on his pact aren’t publicly reported. |
| Potential Scenarios | Lovelady might stick around to keep the money from this deal flowing, crack the Opening Day roster, or join another club. The Jays may also decide to designate him for assignment when the season starts, or he could be waived by other teams vying for his talent. |
Conclusion and Next Steps
| Fan Takeaways | Details |
|---|---|
| Key Insight | Toronto Blue Jays’ move to select Richard Lovelady’s contract showcases their strategy to bolster their roster, particularly in left-handed relief, as the season approaches. The decision highlights the intricate ballet of player options, injuries, and contract intricacies in MLB. |
| What to Watch For | Fans should keep an eye on how Lovelady performs in the coming days and whether he secures a spot on the Opening Day roster. The future of Alek Manoah, recovery from injury, and the Jays’ options for left-handed relief will also be closely monitored in the coming days. |