Blue Jays optioned Adam Macko because of circumstance, not performance per John Schneider “He was a pro about it. He understands that he’ll most likely to be back here at some point.”
Blue Jays: Checking in on Adam Macko since being optioned back to Buffalo
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
By Ben Wrixon
Jun 22, 2026, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 22, 2026, 09:06 EDT
Canadian pitcher Adam Macko made his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026 before being unceremoniously demoted in a roster crunch in early June.
The left-hander shone in his first taste of big league action, striking out a dozen batters across 12 innings while allowing just two runs. He succeeded in a variety of roles, from “opener” on a bullpen day to pitching in high-leverage situations late in games.
Roster management in MLB is cutthroat. Macko being optioned to Triple-A had nothing to do with his performance—even Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he expected him back sooner rather than later.
There’s still a clear opportunity for Macko on the Blue Jays, given they only have one left-handed reliever in the bullpen following Brendon Little’s call-up and subsequent demotion outing over the weekend. He could very well be the next man up.
Complicating things a bit, however, is that Macko hasn’t been sharp on the mound since returning to Triple-A Buffalo.
His first outing back with the Bisons on June 13th against the Syracuse Mets was uncharacteristically poor. He allowed two earned runs on two hits, a pair of walks (one intentional), and a hit batter in just one inning of work.
His next outing was a mixed bag against the Charlotte Knights four days later. He struck out the side without allowing a run, but once again gave up two hits in the process. He faced the Knights again in his next appearance on June 19th. They broke through on the scoreboard against him this time, tagging him for three hits and an unearned run. He only recorded two outs in what wound up being a short outing.
These shaky performances are in stark contrast to the version of Macko the Blue Jays got in his first stint with the team. What they are on par with, however, is the pitcher he has been for much of his time with the Bisons so far in 2026.
Adam Macko has his first big league strikeout 🫡
The young southpaw came out of the gates strong in early April, but gave up runs in five of his eight appearances before being called up to the Blue Jays out of pure necessity. He wasn’t exactly forcing their hand with his performance.
Macko has proven he can get major league hitters out, though, even if his track record suggests things might not always look as good as they did during his first stint with the Blue Jays. He flashed the stuff and composure necessary to get important outs for the big squad.
Carrying one lefty—Mason Fluharty—in the bullpen is unsustainable, especially when that lefty is already tied for the MLB lead in number of appearances. The Blue Jays should be considering a Macko promotion soon, regardless of his stats since his demotion.
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