Norris was released by the Phillies on Thursday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.
Norris failed to earn a spot in the Phillies' bullpen after joining the team in January as a non-roster invitee. The veteran reliever didn't pitch last season due to forearm issues but posted a 3.59 ERA and 67:21 K:BB in 57.2 innings with the Cardinals in 2018.
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Phillies' Bud Norris: Included in player pool
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Norris will be part of the Phillies' 60-man player pool this season.
Norris joined the Phillies as a non-roster invitee back in January, hoping to prove his health and return to the big leagues after missing the 2019 season due to forearm issues. He isn't on the team's 40-man roster but could still play a role at some point, though it's unlikely to be a major one.
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Phillies' Bud Norris: Signs minors deal with Phillies
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Norris joined the Phillies on a minor-league deal Tuesday, freelance baseball writer Robert Murray reports.
Norris converted to relief in 2017 and saved 47 games over the next two seasons. He didn't throw a pitch in 2019, though, as he was released by the Blue Jays in early April while battling forearm issues and never signed another deal. That's not a good sign regarding Norris' health heading into his age-35 season, but the signing is nevertheless a low-risk move by the Phillies.
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Bud Norris: Won't join Nationals
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Norris' (forearm) ongoing contract negotiations with the Nationals have fallen apart and the team has turned its attention to other relievers, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
After receiving his release from the Blue Jays earlier this month, Norris looked to be an ideal fit for a Nationals squad lacking in reliable setup options ahead of closer Sean Doolittle. Norris' representatives appeared to come to terms with Washington on a deal two days earlier, but the Nationals weren't satisfied with the reports they received regarding the right-hander's forearm injury. According to Heyman, Washington felt Norris was 4-to-5 weeks away from being ready to contribute at the major-league level, so the 34-year-old could linger on the open market for a while longer until he approaches full health.
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Bud Norris: Nationals deal not yet finalized
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Norris (forearm) and the Nationals do not yet have a deal, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
There were reports earlier in the day that the two sides had an agreement, pending a physical, but recent reports suggest the two sides aren't quite at that point. The hang-up appears to be over Norris' health, as he battled forearm soreness during camp. The delay may mean that Norris is still not close to being ready for game action.
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Bud Norris: Let go by Blue Jays
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Norris (forearm) was released from his minor-league deal with the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris has been battling forearm soreness since March 21 and has no timetable for his return, so the Blue Jays opted to part ways with the veteran right-hander. The 34-year-old threw only three innings during spring training and was exhibiting decreased velocity.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Misses out on roster
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Norris (forearm) isn't included on the Blue Jays' roster ahead of their season opener Thursday against the Tigers, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Norris remains with the organization as a non-roster player and should be in good shape to have his contract selected once he gets past the bout of forearm fatigue he experienced late in spring training. The right-hander was able to complete a bullpen session Tuesday, so he should be ready to test himself against live hitters in the coming days.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Scheduled for bullpen Tuesday
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Norris (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris, who has been dealing with forearm fatigue recently, tossed an inning in Sunday's spring game against the Tigers. While the right-hander reported no issues afterwards, the Blue Jays want to see how he responds after Tuesday's bullpen session before determining his status for the start of the season.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Set to pitch Sunday
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Manager Charlie Montoyo said Norris (forearm) is scheduled to pitch one inning Sunday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris has been dealing with forearm fatigue for a few days, though the issue is thought to be minor. Assuming everything goes as planned, Montoyo said he expects the veteran right-hander to be ready for the start of the season. Norris is expected to hold down a setup role once healthy.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Scratched Thursday
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Norris (undisclosed) was scratched from Thursday's game against the Phillies, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
Norris didn't feel right while throwing earlier, prompting the Blue Jays to scrap his scheduled outing Thursday. The right-hander will be further evaluated in the coming days, but there's a chance he's forced to open the season on the shelf given how close Opening Day is.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Signs with Toronto
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Norris signed with the Blue Jays on Thursday, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.
The deal will be a minor-league one, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, but it would be a surprise to see Norris fail to make the team. The veteran pitched 57.2 innings for the Cardinals last season, recording 28 saves with a 3.59 ERA. He'll likely slot in as the second option for the closer role behind Ken Giles. Norris will turn 34 in early March, but he's still a capable option for a late-inning role, posting a 27.4 percent strikeout rate with a 94.6 mph fastball last season.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Unlikely to return this weekend
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Manager Mike Shildt said Norris is unlikely to pitch again this weekend after leaving Friday's game with left hamstring tightness, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.
As expected, Norris has likely pitched for the last time this season barring a postseason run for the Cardinals. Since the club would have to win both games this weekend against the Cubs in addition to a pair of losses by the Dodgers just to force a Game 163, it looks like the right-hander's season has come to an end.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Exits Friday's game
Rotowire
Norris was removed from Friday's outing against the Cubs with an apparent injury, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.
Per Brian Stull of WGNU 920 AM, Norris appeared to be reaching for his left hamstring, though the pitcher noted that he's been dealing with a hip issue recently, so the exact nature of his latest injury isn't known just yet. Expect an update on his status in the coming hours.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Will be available Friday
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Norris (finger) is expected to be available for Friday's game against the Giants, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.
Norris exited Sunday's contest against the Dodgers due to a blister on his right hand and hasn't pitched since. He tested the injury during a game of catch prior to series opener and didn't appear to have any issues. Although Norris recently lost his role as the closer, the Cardinals will likely deploy him in high-leverage situations moving forward.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Remains out Tuesday
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Norris (finger) is unavailable Tuesday against the Braves, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.
Norris will remain sidelined for a second straight game as he continues to nurse a blister on his right middle finger. Consider the reliever day-to-day. Jordan Hicks and Dakota Hudson will handle setup duties in his absence.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Unavailable Monday
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Norris (finger) is unavailable Monday against the Braves, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.
Norris will get the night off after exiting Sunday's game with a blister on his right middle finger. The reliever should be considered day-to-day as he allows the skin on his finger to heal. Jordan Hicks and Dakota Hudson will be tasked with getting the ball to closer to Carlos Martinez in his absence.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Departs with blister issue
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Norris exited Sunday's game against the Dodgers because a blister on his right hand was bothering him.
Norris tossed just seven pitches before being removed from the ballgame due to a blister on his right middle finger. He'll likely be considered day-to-day given the nature of the issue.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Officially loses closer's role
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Norris has officially been removed from the closer's role, and his slotting in the bullpen is being "reshuffled" according to manager Mike Shildt, Tyler Fenwick of MLB.com reports.
Shildt proclaimed that Carlos Martinez is the team's new full-time closer following Sunday's win over the Tigers, while also confirming that Norris' role within the relief corps is in flux. Following two difficult outings against the Reds and Nationals to open September -- appearances in which he gave up a combined five earned runs -- Norris was given several days off by Shildt until he was called on again Saturday night. Asked to preserve a 3-3 tie entering the bottom of the ninth, Norris took his fifth loss after seeing Victor Reyes reach on a Matt Carpenter error to open the inning, issuing a pair of walks (one intentional) and allowing the winning run to come home on a wild pitch. Shildt hinted that he'll deploy the 33-year-old right-hander in lower-leverage situations for the time being in order to give him a better opportunity of executing at the level he'd often managed to earlier in the season.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Likely unavailable until Friday
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Manager Mike Shildt said Norris is likely unavailable until Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Norris has allowed five runs over his last two appearances (recording just four outs in the process), so he'll get some time to recoup while the Cardinals temporarily turn to a committee approach in the ninth inning. Shildt ruled the reliever out Tuesday and added that he would likely be unavailable Wednesday as well, giving him three full days off with Thursday's off day. Jordan Hicks, Carlos Martinez and Dakota Hudson are all options to pick up saves while Norris is unavailable. It's unclear if Norris will immediately return to the ninth inning once he's back in action, but Shildt did say that the right-hander would see high-leverage work again.
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Cardinals' Bud Norris: Records save No. 27
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Norris allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to record the save against the Rockies on Friday. He issued one walk and struck out none.
He allowed a couple baserunners and threw 19 pitches (13 strikes) but was able to secure his 27th save of the year. Norris has allowed runs to score just once in his last 14 appearances, going 9-for-10 in save chances in that span. The right-hander is tied for fourth in the NL in saves and is sporting an excellent 63:12 K:BB in 52.2 innings this season.
