The Guardians have acquired left-hander Justin Bruihl from the Blue Jays in alternate for money concerns, based on bulletins from each golf equipment. The Jays had designated the lefty for project earlier this week. To open a 40-man spot, the Guards designated outfielder Jhonkensy Noel for project.
Bruihl, 29 in June, signed a minor league cope with the Jays forward of the 2025 marketing campaign. He ultimately earned a roster spot and had a good season, in some methods. His 5.27 earned run common within the majors doesn’t look good, however that got here in a small pattern of 13 2/3 innings. He additionally had a powerful 27.7% strikeout price and 46.2% floor ball price in that point. His 10.8% stroll price was a bit excessive however he was actually held again by a .459 batting common on balls in play. ERA estimators reminiscent of his 4.16 FIP and three.42 SIERA had been way more optimistic.
His minor league numbers look extra like these latter metrics than his massive league ERA. He tossed 42 innings for Triple-A Buffalo with a 3.43 ERA, 27.8% strikeout price, 9.1% stroll price and 58.4% floor ball price.
Bruihl doesn’t throw particularly laborious. His two-seamer averaged simply 90.2 miles per hour this 12 months. He additionally blended in a cutter at 87.5 mph and a 78.4 mph slider. He nonetheless managed to punch guys out and keep away from laborious contact. The Jays despatched him between Triple-A and the majors this 12 months however he was sufficient of an element to be on their ALDS roster towards a lefty-heavy Yankee lineup. He wasn’t carried on the roster for subsequent rounds.
Regardless of some intriguing numbers this 12 months, he bought squeezed off Toronto’s roster this week. He exhausted his closing possibility in 2025 and might be out of choices going ahead. With the Jays additionally having lefties Brendon Little, Mason Fluharty and Eric Lauer on the roster, they designated Bruihl for project.
The Guards are intrigued sufficient to carry him aboard. Their southpaw aid contingent is at present headlined by Erik Sabrowski and Tim Herrin however these two every walked greater than 15.5% of batters confronted in 2025. Joey Cantillo might be within the combine however he’s extra of an extended reliever. With Bruihl’s possibility standing, he’ll should carry out however there’s a path for him to earn a job within the Cleveland bullpen. He has underneath two years of service time, that means he hasn’t but certified for arbitration and could be managed for 5 full seasons if he can maintain a roster spot.
The unlucky facet impact of including Bruihl is that the Guards have minimize “Huge Christmas” from the roster barely per week earlier than the vacation he’s named after. Noel has proven some massive energy in his profession but additionally has a poor method on the plate. In his 351 massive league plate appearances, 32.8% of them have resulted in a strikeout whereas he has solely drawn a stroll 4.8% of the time.
Regardless of hitting 19 dwelling runs, his .193/.242/.401 batting line interprets to a 79 wRC+. He’s not defender neither is he a burner on the basepaths, so he actually must hit to supply worth. The homers assist however the general offense has been missing.
Like Bruihl, he exhausted his closing possibility season in 2025. That was going to make it tougher for the Guards to maintain him on the roster, particularly with guys like Chase DeLauter and George Valera reaching the massive leagues this 12 months.
He’ll head into DFA limbo and see if the Guards can line up a commerce or if anybody desires him on waivers. If he lands elsewhere, he could be managed for 5 full seasons. Since he has lower than three years of service and doesn’t have a earlier profession outright, he is not going to have the precise to elect free company if he’s handed via outright waivers unclaimed.
Photograph courtesy of Ken Blaze, Dennis Lee, Imagn Pictures
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