Former Blue Jays and how they are doing this spring with their new clubs
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Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Graeme Wallace
Mar 11, 2025, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 11, 2025, 06:01 EDT
As the start of the regular season continues, here’s a look at how some former Toronto Blue Jays players have been doing thus far in spring training.
Nate Pearson
Once the top prospect in the Jays’ system, Pearson was plagued by injuries and inconsistency on the mound before being traded to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline last season. Once arriving in the windy city, Pearson achieved much better results, with a 2.73 ERA across 26.1 innings down the stretch.
The former first-round pick has gotten into three games with the Cubs this spring and has allowed one earned run in 3 1/3 innings for a 2.70 ERA, with one strikeout. His first appearance, a 12-pitch, clean frame against the Rangers was his sharpest. Pearson walked two batters (with one strikeout) and hit another on February 27th versus the Angels and surrendered four hits and an earned run, on March 3rd while facing the Diamondbacks.
Jordan Romano
A fan favorite and homegrown talent, Romano was non-tendered by the Blue Jays in late November and signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 31-year-old has made four appearances this spring and hasn’t given up any earned runs. He struck out two batters in his Phils debut and blew a save opportunity, on March 2nd against Baltimore, getting touched up for a pair of hits and two unearned runs. Cumulatively, the Markham, Ontario native has pitched four innings, racked up five strikeouts, walked one, and given up three hits.
Justin Turner
Turner signed a one-year deal with the Jays before the 2024 season, and, like many of the acquisitions that winter, it just didn’t work out. He moved on to the Cubs this year after taking a shot at the M’s front office for their lack of activity over the last few months. The 40-year-old has played in seven contests for the Cubs this spring, collecting four hits (all singles) in 19 at-bats for a .211 average, with a .497 OPS. His best game was his first, a two-hit (plus a walk) showing on February 24th while facing the Padres.
Danny Jansen
A member of the Jays since being drafted in 2013, Jansen’s trade to the Boston Red Sox last summer was one of the more painful moments of a lost season. He has since signed a one-year, $8.5M contract with division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. Jansen has played in eight games this spring and has four hits in 15 ABs (.267), with a homer, a double, three RBI, and a .856 OPS.
Gabriel Moreno
Once thought to be the future of the catcher position for Toronto, Moreno was traded, along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr., in the Daulton Varsho trade in December 2022. The Venezuela native has gotten into seven Cactus League games with the D-Backs and picked up three hits in 17 at-bats (.176) with one home run, four RBI, two runs scored, and a .653 OPS.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Part of a lively and productive outfield tandem that also included George Springer and Teoscar Hernandez, Gurriel Jr. experienced a puzzling power outage in 2022.
In 493 plate appearances, Pina power went yard just five times before being traded. In two seasons playing in the desert, the Cuban native has responded by hitting 24 and 18 homers respectively. In seven spring games, the 31-year-old has four hits in 18 at-bats (all singles), with two RBI and one stolen base.
Teoscar Hernandez
After spending parts of six seasons in T.O., Hernandez seems to have found a new home on the West Coast with the L.A. Dodgers. After being a key member of the 2024 World Series-winning squad, Teo re-signed for three more years in Dodger-blue. Over nine games, the 2024 Home Run Derby champion has hit .250 (7-28) with one home run, two doubles, one RBI, five runs scored, and a .705 OPS. He’s also struck out nine times.