The Toronto Blue Jays designated right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment following a difficult relief appearance against the Kansas City Royals. The 25-year-old pitcher was removed from the roster after yielding six earned runs in a single inning during an 13-2 defeat at Rogers Centre.
Roster Shakeup After Rough Outing Against Royals
The transaction follows a game where Toronto’s pitching staff struggled to contain the Royals’ offense. Simeon Woods Richardson entered the contest in the sixth inning with the Blue Jays trailing 4-0.
The lopsided defeat dropped the Blue Jays to a 65-70 record, putting them three and a half games behind the final American League wild-card spot. Following the roster move, Toronto recalled right-hander CJ Van Eyk from Triple-A Buffalo to provide multi-inning relief depth.
Pitching Metrics and Season Statistics
Simeon Woods Richardson joined the Blue Jays in early June via a trade with the Minnesota Twins. In eight appearances with Toronto prior to his DFA, he posted a 3.93 ERA across 18.1 innings, recording 14 strikeouts against 14 hits allowed. However, his performance dipped significantly during relief outings in August. He compiled an 8.64 ERA across 8.1 innings over five relief appearances that month, walking five batters and striking out nine.
His struggles in Toronto compounded a difficult 2026 campaign that included 20 appearances with Minnesota, leaving him with an overall season ERA of 6.68. The team opted to clear roster space as it manages a depleted pitching staff dealing with injuries to Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, Jameson Taillon, and Jake Bloss.
Next Steps for the Blue Jays
CJ Van Eyk joins the active roster carrying a 4.76 ERA across three major league appearances this season, alongside a 3.79 mark in 21 outings at Triple-A Buffalo. The Blue Jays open a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Rogers Centre, with pitcher Dylan Cease scheduled to take the mound.
Worth a look
