There’s nothing better for a baseball player to make the roster for his hometown team.
For Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Adam Marko, who went to high school in Alberta, that concept extends across the country. Canada’s only Major League Baseball team, the Blue Jays, have their own national anthem.
more: The Blue Jays signed the free agent All-Star and immediately added him to their spring training roster.
Marko, 25, has yet to make his major league debut in six professional seasons with the Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.
If it debuts in 2026, it will not be the opening day.
The Blue Jays optioned Marko to minor league camp on Tuesday. They also reassigned non-roster invitees Fernando Perez and Gage Stanifer to minor league camp.
Macko is eligible to return to the Jays’ big league camp in Dunedin, Florida, to replace injured players during the final weeks of spring.
Macko made two scoreless appearances in spring training out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen. The left-hander walked two batters and struck out two without allowing a hit.
Last year at Triple-A Buffalo, Mako appeared in 18 games (10 starts) and recorded 3 wins, 8 losses, and an ERA of 5.06.
The Blue Jays acquired Marko and pitcher Eric Swanson from the Seattle Mariners on November 16, 2022, in the trade that originally sent Teoscar Hernández to Seattle.
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