Garcia blew the save during Sunday's 10-8 loss to the Mariners, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two over 1.1 innings.
Garcia replaced Anthony Bass in a one-run game with two on and two out in the eighth. He got out of the inning by striking out Taylor Trammell, who hit a grand slam earlier in the contest, and he came out for the ninth with Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson presumably unavailable after pitching Friday and Saturday. Garcia walked the leadoff hitter in the ninth and surrendered a two-out, game-tying RBI single to J.P. Crawford before getting out of the frame. It was Garcia's second blown save in as many chances, and he likely won't get many additional opportunities with Romano the team's clear-cut closer.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Collects win after blown save
Rotowire
Garcia (1-0) gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in the eighth inning of Thursday's 10-9 victory over the Cardinals, getting charged with a blown save but picking up the win.
Few pitchers on either side fared well in the wild Opening Day contest, but it's noteworthy that Erik Swanson entered the game in fifth inning with the score tied 5-5 while Garcia got the nod in the eighth after the Jays had taken a brief 8-7 lead. If he remains the team's primary setup man in front of closer Jordan Romano, Garcia could top last year's career-high 22 holds, but he'll need to pitch better than he did Thursday to keep the spot.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Gearing up for setup role
Rotowire
Garcia gave up a hit in a scoreless eighth inning during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.
The right-hander didn't allow a run in two innings while pitching for the Dominican Republic during the WBC, and he's also delivered three clean innings for the Jays in Grapefruit League play. Garcia's combined 2:0 K:BB over that time isn't exactly dominant, but he's still set to be one of the primary setup men for closer Jordan Romano in 2023, and he recorded a career-high 22 holds in that role last year.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Notches first save
Rotowire
Garcia pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn a save over the Yankees on Saturday.
Toronto closer Jordan Romano pitched in each of the first two games of the series, so Garcia was given the task of preserving the team's three-run, ninth-inning lead. He threw 17 pitches to retire the side in order and notch his first save of the campaign. Garcia saved 15 games for Miami last season, but Adam Cimber -- who was deployed in the fifth inning Saturday -- has gotten the majority of the closing opportunities when Romano has been unavailable this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Collects second win
Rotowire
Garcia (2-4) picked up the win in Wednesday's 6-1 victory over the Orioles, striking out one in a perfect two-thirds of an inning.
The right-hander relieved Ross Stripling with one out in the seventh inning of a scoreless tie, and Garcia wound up as the pitcher of record when the Blue Jays offense erupted in the bottom half of the frame. The right-hander continues to work in a setup role for Toronto, and since the All-Star break he has five holds in 10 appearances along with a 2.79 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 10:5 K:BB through 9.2 innings.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Clean inning in return
Rotowire
Garcia threw a perfect sixth inning in Friday's 5-2 extra-innings loss to the Mariners.
Garcia's first appearance since he returned from a back strain saw him pitch well in a 2-2 contest. The right-hander has mainly worked as a setup man in 2022, logging a 3.29 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 26:5 K:BB with 12 holds, three blown saves and a 1-3 record through 27.1 innings. Garcia should continue to be part of the high-leverage mix for the Blue Jays, though Jordan Romano has shown no signs of relinquishing the closer role.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Reinstated from injured list
Rotowire
Garcia (back) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Friday.
Garcia struck out two in a perfect inning during his lone rehab appearance at Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, and he'll rejoin the Blue Jays' bullpen ahead of Friday's game against Seattle. The right-hander should reclaim high-leverage duties after he picked up 12 holds in 28 appearances to begin the year.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Rejoins team, not activated
Rotowire
Garcia (back) is with Toronto for its weekend series at Seattle but has not yet been activated from the injured list, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.
Garcia has been sidelined since June 21 with a back strain and threw one inning in a rehab outing with Triple-A Buffalo on Monday. He could immediately return to a high-leverage role once reinstated, as he recorded 12 holds in 28 appearances prior to being sidelined.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Could join team soon
Rotowire
Garcia (back) struck out two batters Monday in his rehab appearance for Triple-A Buffalo and could be activated from the 15-day injured list within the next few days, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.
According to Longley, manager Charlie Montoyo was impressed with Garcia's first rehab appearance, and he noted that it's possible Garcia could rejoin the team in Seattle, meaning Monday would serve as his lone outing in the minors. The Blue Jays will likely check in on the right-hander Tuesday to ensure he's feeling strong before making a decision on whether he'll require another appearance in the minors.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Goes out on rehab assignment
Rotowire
Garcia (back) will begin a rehab assignment Monday with Triple-A Buffalo.
Garcia landed on the injured list in late June with a sore back, but it did not take him long to recover. Given that he has only been out a couple weeks, he may not need to appear in more than a game or two before rejoining the major-league roster.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Garcia was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left back strain, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The right-hander was reported to be dealing with discomfort in his left side earlier this week, but the injury has now been diagnosed as a back strain. It's unclear exactly how long Garcia will be sidelined, though he'll be eligible to be reinstated from the injured list July 7. Jeremy Beasley was added to the 26-man roster in a corresponding move.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Battling back inflammation
Rotowire
Garcia is dealing with lower-back inflammation, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Reports from earlier in the week indicated Garcia was dealing with discomfort in his left side, but the issue is evidently in his lower back. He tested the injury by throwing some pitches Friday, but the Blue Jays have yet to announce if he's cleared to pitch.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Dealing with left side discomfort
Rotowire
Garcia wasn't available during Wednesday's win over the White Sox due to left side discomfort, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Garcia tossed a scoreless inning during Tuesday's win over the White Sox, but he's apparently dealing with a side issue following the outing. The Blue Jays have a scheduled day off Thursday, and the right-hander will be re-evaluated ahead of Friday's series opener against Milwaukee.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Collects first win as Jay
Rotowire
Garcia (1-3) picked up the win Sunday against the Yankees, striking out three batters over 1.1 perfect innings.
The right-hander put together one of his most impressive outings of the season against one of the league's most dangerous offenses, and Garcia got rewarded for his efforts in top of the seventh inning when the Blue Jays re-took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame. He has yet to record a hold in June, but the 31-year-old has been scored upon only once in his last 10 appearances, posting a 2.89 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 14:2 K:BB in 9.1 innings over that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Saddled with loss Sunday
Rotowire
Garcia (0-3) took the loss against the Red on Sunday, giving up one run on three hits while striking out one in one inning.
Things could have been worse for the right-hander, but he still served up a game-winning, solo shot to Joey Votto before escaping the frame. Garcia was brought in to help solidify Toronto's setup crew ahead of closer Jordan Romano, but instead he's supplied a 3.94 ERA and awful 16.4 percent strikeout rate through 16 innings. The 31-year-old does have eight holds in 17 appearances, but he could lose his grip on a high-leverage role if he doesn't turn things around.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Ejected Tuesday
Rotowire
Garcia was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Yankees, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The right-hander entered with two runners on and immediately surrendered a three-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton, and he was ejected after plunking the next batter, Josh Donaldson, in an 0-1 count. Garcia could face some additional discipline should MLB determine any intent from the hit by pitch.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Saddled with loss Monday
Rotowire
Garcia (0-2) took the loss Monday as the Blue jays were downed 3-2 by the Yankees, allowing one run on two hits over one inning. He struck out one without walking a batter.
Entering a tie game in the top of the ninth inning, Garcia gave up a couple singles with a stolen base in between to cough up the winning run for the Yankees. The right-hander didn't allow an earned run through his first eight appearances for Toronto, but he's been tagged for five in his last 1.1 innings, leaving him with a 4.82 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and mediocre 6:3 K:BB on the season. Garcia's five holds are tied for the team lead, but he could fall out of a high-leverage role if his struggles continue much longer.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Throws bullpen session
Rotowire
Garcia threw a 25-pitch live batting practice session Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Garcia missed around two weeks of camp while waiting to secure a visa. The team has remained hopeful that he will be available on Opening Day, and this is another step towards that goal. Garcia could appear in a spring training contest soon, depending on how he recovers from his recent session.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Could throw side session Friday
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Garcia (visa issues) has arrived at the team's big-league camp and could throw a bullpen session Friday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
Though he's missed nearly two weeks' worth of workouts while looking to secure a visa, Garcia shouldn't require much ramp-up time, considering that he's a reliever who historically hasn't worked more than one or two innings per appearance. He's expected to fill a setup role for Toronto in 2022 after he went 15-for-18 in save chances while posting a 4.21 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 60:18 K:BB in 57.2 innings last season between stops in Houston and Miami.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Yimi Garcia: Arriving soon
Rotowire
Garcia's visa issues are nearly resolved, and he should arrive at camp Thursday or Friday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
Garcia is facing a fairly substantial visa delay, but the Blue Jays aren't ruling him out for Opening Day. He's been able to throw back in Venezuela and is expected to require just two or three Grapefruit League appearances to be ready.
