The Toronto Blue Jays put together a magical run in 2025, starting as an outsider in the AL East to begin the campaign, to going just a few outs from capturing a World Series title. It was an exciting season for the Blue Jays and their fanbase, and one that was heavily influenced by the moves the Jays made throughout the calendar year.

One of the more influential trades the Jays made in 2025 was acquiring right-hander Louis Varland from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for outfielder Alan Roden and prospect pitcher Kendry Rojas at the deadline. The Minnesota product was drafted by his hometown team in 2019, and the right-hander admits that the trade initially caught him off guard.

“Honestly, I had no idea or inkling that I was going to be traded,” explained Varland, speaking to Blue Jays Nation. “The trade caught me completely off guard.

“At first, it was a bit of a sad moment. I was a Twins fan from an early age growing up in Minnesota, and this was also my first time being traded or moved in my baseball career. However, I understand that it’s a business move; the Twins front office has a job to do with trying to improve the team in ways that they seem fit, and I can’t blame them for trading me. I have all the respect for them, and there are no hard feelings.”

At the time of the deal, Varland was having a career year.

Across 51 outings, the right-hander had amassed a 2.02 ERA and a 2.93 FIP across 49 innings of work. This included a 1.102 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9, and an 8.6 K/9 as one of the backend arms for the Twins bullpen.

The trade was new territory for Varland, who was not only moving out of Minnesota but heading North of the border with the Blue Jays. While the initial shock of the trade was at the back of his mind, Varland’s focus quickly shifted once he found out it was the Blue Jays that had traded for the hard-throwing reliever.

“Once I found out it was the Blue Jays who had traded for me, I was elated,” said Varland. “The organization was on a real hot streak, and it’s exciting to know that a team thought that I would be able to help with their postseason push down the stretch. It felt even better once I actually landed in Toronto and got to see the facilities and the stadium from the home team’s side of things. The facilities are top-notch, the stadium is just a great place to be, and my teammates were very welcoming in the clubhouse.

“At that point in the season, the Jays were leading in the AL East and were one of the best teams in the league. The stadium was packed every single night. I remember having some rough outings in Toronto when I was a visitor with the Twins, and it’s good to have the fans rooting behind me this time around. Overall, I think this move was a blessing in disguise.”

To finish off the regular season, Varland appeared in 23 games for the Jays down the stretch. The Minnesota product saw his ERA climb to 4.94 thanks to a few rough outings that skewed the number, but his 3.56 FIP and elevated 10.6 K/9 told a different story. Opponents in a tougher AL East division were seeing his ball a bit better, but he was able to get more swing and miss thanks to his upper-90s fastball and his offspeed pitches, which included his knuckle curve, slider, and changeup. He would finish the campaign with a 2.97 ERA and a 3.14 FIP across a career-high 72 2/3 innings between both clubs.

With the Jays finishing first in the division, Varland was also heading to the postseason for the second time in his career. His first taste of October baseball came back in 2023 against a familiar foe in the AL Wild Card. The Twins welcomed the Blue Jays for a three-game set, and Varland appeared in both games, allowing two hits and striking out one with zero runs against.

This time around, Varland was a more established figure in the bullpen.

His top-notch groundball rates (51.8%) and his ability to pound the strike zone were going to be needed if Toronto wanted a deep postseason run. While the Jays ended up being just a few outs short of a World Series ring, Varland knew that this opportunity was one worth savouring, even if the result didn’t go the Jays’ way.

“Any postseason opportunity is amazing, and they don’t come often for everyone in the big leagues,” explained Varland. “There are some players who go their whole big league career without playing in October or even come close to sniffing the playoffs. I had a bit of experience behind my back, which I was really thankful for because I think it helped a lot with my nerves and what to expect. I knew what needed to be done and what the experience was going to be like. While things didn’t ultimately go our way, we had a lot of fun in that clubhouse. That was a great group of guys to experience the postseason with.”

Varland was a go-to arm for manager John Schneider during the last two months of the regular season, and that didn’t change in the postseason. In fact, it actually ramped up as the season wore on, and fans could frequently hear ‘Animal I Have Become’ by Canadian punk group Three Days Grace for pretty much every home game in October.

When the dust settled, Varland was called upon 15 times during the Jays’ run, setting a new MLB record for appearances in a single postseason (four times in the ALDS, six times in the ALCS, and five times in the World Series). Across 16 innings of work, Varland pitched to a 3.94 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, allowing 14 hits, seven earned runs, and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts.

He missed just one game against the Seattle Mariners during the back-and-forth ALCS battle and just two games in the World Series showdown against the Dodgers.

“It really means a lot to me to have that postseason appearances record,” said Varland. “I think one of the best things you can do as a reliever is be available, and it means a lot that the coaching staff trusted me to go out there and get the job done. I always want to be that guy, to play through the tough moments and produce for the team, and that’s what I think makes me valuable to the organization.

“I love being that guy, and even when some of the outings didn’t pan out my way, the Jays kept trusting in me and believing in me, and that’s not something that normally happens in the postseason when the stakes are high.”

His favourite memories from the postseason?

“Just seeing the whole city rally behind this team was great to see,” said Varland. “Seeing the Rogers Centre and just everyone get so amped up about the team, it was electric. The national anthem being sung by all the fans gives you goosebumps. On top of the atmosphere, just seeing all my teammates go out and give everything they got, seeing guys like Trey Yesavage go out and just blow expectations and dominate, that had me buzzing.”

With the 2025 season in the rearview mirror, Varland has been hard at work this offseason to get prepared for his first full campaign with the Jays organization.

The expectation is that he will once again be a go-to arm for the Jays in the bullpen in 2026, and fans are excited to see what he can do for the club across a full season. Varland isn’t free agent eligible until 2031, so the Jays fans will get a good opportunity to see what the Minnesota product can offer for the foreseeable future.

But for now, Varland has been tinkering with one of the offspeed pitches that he hopes will add another wrinkle to his arsenal.

“I have been working really hard this winter on a right on right changeup,” explained Varland. “I think it can be a real weapon and make me a better pitcher out there against the right-handed bats. Produce a bit more swing and miss, and make the batter feel that much more uncomfortable.

“On top of the changeup, I also go into spring training with the expectation that my spot on the roster isn’t given; I have to earn it. It’s all about putting my best foot forward and just being available to my team and the coaching staff so we can make another postseason run.”

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