As manager John Gibbons said in a pre-game interview, “it was a tough day” for the Blue Jays, their fans, and especially Jason Grilli. The 40 year old veteran was designated for assignment prior to the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles.
Despite his popularity in the clubhouse and with the fan base, it’s hard to blame the front office for cutting ties with the former set up man. He was struggling badly this year, losing his late inning role, and pitching to a 6.97 ERA in 26 appearances, throwing 20.2 innings. It was a far cry from the 3.