Ryan Burr was one of the best pitchers in the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen in 2024.
This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual 40-man Roster Review, where we look at the players on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster. We’ll look at how the player performed in 2024, his season projections for the 2025 season, and any storylines heading into this coming season. In this article, we’ll look at Ryan Burr.
The right-handed pitcher was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks and made his big league debut in 2018 with the Chicago White Sox. His career-best season came in 2021, when he had a 2.45 ERA and a 4.23 FIP in 36.2 innings pitched, with a 21.9 K% and a 13.9 BB%.
On May 31, the Blue Jays traded cash considerations to the Philadelphia Phillies for the 30-year-old reliever. In turn, Burr became somewhat of a regular in the Blue Jays bullpen, posting a 4.13 ERA and a 3.07 FIP in 32.2 innings pitched, mostly in low-relief. He, along with Brendon Little, were two relievers who didn’t start the season in the Jays’ bullpen, but who ultimately earned a look in the team’s bullpen next season thanks to pitching well.
Of the 28 pitchers who pitched an inning in relief for the Blue Jays in 2024, Burr’s 32.8 K% ranked the second-highest, only behind Yimi García’s 36.5 K%. He and the returning García were the only two pitchers with a K% above 30%, while the next K% for a reliever currently on the team’s 40-man roster is Erik Swanson’s 22%. Burr had a respectable 9.5 BB%.
Burr’s projections are even better than what he was able to produce last season. Fangraphs’ Steamer has him posting a 3.65 ERA and a 3.67 FIP in 48 innings pitched, with a 25.9 K% and an 8.3 BB%. Another projection model, OOPSY, has Burr posting a 3.48 ERA and a 3.60 FIP in 48 innings pitched, with a 27.9 K% and an 8.4 BB%. The most recently added model, ATC, has Burr with a 3.92 ERA and a 3.68 FIP, along with a 27.6 K% and an 8.5 BB%. His worst-case scenario is still solid.
As for Burr’s storyline coming into the 2025 season, the 30-year-old has an additional option year, meaning he can be sent to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons without waivers. That’s good news for the Blue Jays, as their new-look bullpen may not feature the righty to start the season. Either way, he’ll likely pitch for the Jays in 2025, although his role is yet to be determined.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.