The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Jays claim 2B/SS Breyvic Valera off waivers from the Yankees. 2 things stand out.
1) That's the most made-up name I've ever heard. It's like this guy I know named Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabbadoo.
2) For real, browsing some stuff about him and his FG page seems to indicate that he's an above-average defender with a AAAA bat whose best use is in the minors or as an emergency warm-body in case of MLB injury (which would appear to be his niche here as a sort of "oh hell, what if Bo's really hurt" type move.). He spent like 7 years in the Cards' system before being sent to the dodgers as cheap depth when Corey Seager got hurt in 2017, then went to Baltimore as part of the shotgun scatter of "talent" the O's took back for Machado, then was shipped to San Francisco for cash and finally claimed by the Yankees off waivers earlier this season when 99% of their roster were hurt in a rash of freak injuries worse than the Springfield Nuclear Plant softball team.
To make room, the Jays designated Ryan Dull for assignment after failing to impress by not recording a single out in his entire Blue Jays career (totaling 0 batters faced).
The "what does all this mean?" takeaway is: nothing. Dull was just waiver fodder, and he's an easy sacrifice now to add more waiver fodder as a precautionary move likely in response to Bichette's getting whacked in the face on Thursday and missing Friday's game. There's no grander meaning, no scheme in play, and no "but what about the kids on the roster?" angle to be concerned with. It's just precautionary depth for precautionary depth's sake using fungible roster spots and replaceable players.
In other, more relevant news, that sucks about Quinones. Hopefully this ends up like Thomas Pannone's suspension did where nobody even remembers it because Pannone has made it to the bigs to be a not-terrible pitcher.
1) That's the most made-up name I've ever heard. It's like this guy I know named Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabbadoo.
2) For real, browsing some stuff about him and his FG page seems to indicate that he's an above-average defender with a AAAA bat whose best use is in the minors or as an emergency warm-body in case of MLB injury (which would appear to be his niche here as a sort of "oh hell, what if Bo's really hurt" type move.). He spent like 7 years in the Cards' system before being sent to the dodgers as cheap depth when Corey Seager got hurt in 2017, then went to Baltimore as part of the shotgun scatter of "talent" the O's took back for Machado, then was shipped to San Francisco for cash and finally claimed by the Yankees off waivers earlier this season when 99% of their roster were hurt in a rash of freak injuries worse than the Springfield Nuclear Plant softball team.
To make room, the Jays designated Ryan Dull for assignment after failing to impress by not recording a single out in his entire Blue Jays career (totaling 0 batters faced).
The "what does all this mean?" takeaway is: nothing. Dull was just waiver fodder, and he's an easy sacrifice now to add more waiver fodder as a precautionary move likely in response to Bichette's getting whacked in the face on Thursday and missing Friday's game. There's no grander meaning, no scheme in play, and no "but what about the kids on the roster?" angle to be concerned with. It's just precautionary depth for precautionary depth's sake using fungible roster spots and replaceable players.
In other, more relevant news, that sucks about Quinones. Hopefully this ends up like Thomas Pannone's suspension did where nobody even remembers it because Pannone has made it to the bigs to be a not-terrible pitcher.
