The Blue Jays have signed a right-hander. Caleb Freeman He signed a minor league contract, according to MLB.com’s trade tracker. Freeman has been assigned to Double-A New Hampshire, so he will likely head to minor league camp in spring training.
Freeman (28) is a relief pitcher who until recently spent his entire career with the White Sox. He averages around 95 mph with his fastball, along with a slider in the low 80s and a curveball in the low 80s. Control has been a big issue for most of his career. During the 2022 and 2023 minor league seasons, he walked 18.5% of the batters he faced. In the major leagues, relief pitchers usually walk about 9% of their opponents, so it was basically double par.
In 2024, he made the call comparatively. His 13.6% walk percentage was still high but improved. He also helped him post a 3.92 ERA in Double-A that year, striking out opponents a strong 29.3% of the time. In 2025, he got off to a stellar start. Through his first 13 1/3 innings, he had a 1.35 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate, and 10.4% walk rate. The White Sox tried to get on the hot hand and added him to their big league roster.
He couldn’t maintain momentum from there. He faced 16 big league hitters in five appearances. He gave up only one walk and three punches, allowing two earned runs in the process. In the minor leagues, he posted an ERA of 5.30 the rest of the season with a strikeout rate of 18.2% and a walk rate of 17.1%. He was removed from the 40-man roster outright in June and became a free agent at the end of the season.
Freeman probably won’t get a good shot at a roster spot in the short term. The Jays have a pretty crowded pitching staff. At one point you can have eight viable starters. shane bieber I’m ready to come off the injured list. This will have a domino effect on the bullpen as some of the starting options are pushed into relief roles. The Jays currently have a Rule 5 pick. Spencer Miles and Angel Bastardo On the list.
Even if the two don’t break camp, Toronto still has bullpen spots on the horizon. Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Balland, Brandon Little, brayden fisher, Tommy Nance and Eric Lauerwith Mason Fluharty and chase lee That too in the mix. jorge alcala, Josh Fleming Others are in the camp as unlisted invitees. Starter is also available Ricky TiedemannAs he struggled to stay healthy, he missed a lot of time in recent years and ended up in the bullpen as his workload increased. During a long season, injuries are inevitable and opportunities will open up. If Freeman ends up making the roster, he still has options.
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