Blue Jays, right-handers Turnbull and Urena agree to big-league deals
The Toronto Blue Jays and right-handed pitcher Spencer Turnbull have agreed to a big-league deal pending a physical, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported Saturday.
TORONTO – The Blue Jays added pitching depth Saturday, agreeing to deals with right-handers Spencer Turnbull and José Ureña on major-league contracts pending physicals, industry sources told Sportsnet.
Ureña, 33, will likely join the major-league roster first with a roster move possible sometime during the team’s upcoming road trip to Anaheim and Seattle. Turnbull, a 32-year-old who missed much of last season with a lat injury, will likely require a minor-league buildup before contributing to the major-league roster.
When he does join the Blue Jays, Turnbull will deepen the Toronto pitching staff, providing manager John Schneider with experience as a starting pitcher and a reliever. He pitched for the Phillies last year, starting seven games and pitching another 10 times in relief on the way to a 2.54 ERA in 54.1 innings with 58 strikeouts compared to 20 walks.
Turnbull finished the 2024 season on the injured list with a lat strain and elected free agency on Oct. 31. On March 23 he threw for scouts at a showcase, but he remained unsigned until the Blue Jays reached an agreement with his agent, Scott Boras.
While opposing hitters can expect to see lots of 92 m.p.h. four-seam fastballs and 84 m.p.h. sweepers from Turnbull, he throws a wide arsenal including sinkers, curveballs, sliders and change-ups. It’s unclear how much time he’ll need to ramp up but given his track record and versatility (67 career starts, 11 career relief appearances), there will be room for him in Toronto once he’s ready to pitch at the MLB level.
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Originally selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, Turnbull made a career-high 30 starts in 2019, logging 148.1 innings. He improved during the pandemic summer of 2020 and then took another step forward in 2021, pitching to a 2.88 ERA in nine starts including a no-hitter before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He didn’t return until 2023.
Ureña appeared in one game for the Mets last week, allowing five earned runs in three innings before they designated him for assignment. The 11-year veteran started nine games for the 2024 Rangers while making another 24 relief appearances on his way to a 3.80 ERA.
Despite a 96 m.p.h. fastball he has never been a big strikeout pitcher, with only 6.0 strikeouts per nine innings for his career, but he has still contributed at the big-league level for more than a decade on his way to a lifetime ERA of 4.80. Like Turnbull, he has experience starting and pitching out of the bullpen.
The pending moves come a day after GM Ross Atkins hinted that the Blue Jays continue talking actively to free agents.
“We also need to consider external alternatives and we have a couple of things in the works there that are more on the depth front via free agency,” Atkins said at Rogers Centre Friday afternoon.
Beyond Turnbull and Ureña, the Blue Jays also remain engaged with righty Casey Lawrence, who was claimed off waivers this week before pitching in Tuesday’s game and being promptly designated for assignment. He has since elected free agency, and is believed to be garnering interest from other clubs, as well.
