The Toronto Blue Jays continue to cycle through relievers as the end of the season comes into focus, as the club has recalled left-hander Easton Lucas from the minor leagues. Right-hander Zach Pop has been optioned to the Florida Complex League in a corresponding move. The Buffalo Bisons campaign is already over and Pop can continue getting work in over the next week should the Jays need him back in the big leagues due to injury.

Lucas joined the organization via a waiver claim from the Detroit Tigers on August 19th, heading to triple-A. Since joining the Jays organization, Lucas has produced a 1.37 ERA through six outings (three starts) and 19 2/3 innings. He held opposing hitters to a .123 average and a .390 through the limited sample size and struck out 21 batters compared to five walks. Lucas also amassed a .66 WHIP in the Bisons’ pitching corps.

The left-hander started the campaign in Oakland A’s organization before being designated for assignment in mid-May and later picked up by the Tigers, posting a 2.87 and a 3.51 ERA respectively in each organization’s triple-A club.

While the 28-year-old has found success in the minor leagues, he has struggled to translate those numbers into the big league level. Across 12 relief appearances throughout the last two seasons with the A’s and Tigers, the reliever has posted a 9.22 ERA with 21 hits, 14 earned runs, and nine free passes allowed to the tune of a 2.20 WHIP.

Heading the opposite way is Canadian Zach Pop, who has spent most of the campaign in the big leagues while riding the options train a few times this season. Across a career-high 58 appearances, Pop has pitched to a 5.59 ERA through 48 1/3 innings with a 3.5 BB/9 and a 6.1 K/9 with a 5.52 FIP.

The right-hander has allowed just one hit and one run through his last six outings (four innings) but since the start of August, Pop has registered a 6.14 ERA and a 4.73 FIP while allowing 13 earned runs through 14 2/3 innings of work. While he possesses plus stuff when his pitches are working, he is prone to the long ball (1.7 HR/9) when he hangs his offerings to far over the plate and has struggled at times this year to pitch consistently.

With the Jays out of playoff contention and work needing to be done this offseason to bolster the roster, the Jays will give Lucas a chance to make an impact at the big-league level before the end of the season.