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MLB Notebook: Former Blue Jay Kendry Rojas added to the Twins’ 40-man roster
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Photo credit: Fisher Cats PR
Ryley Delaney
Nov 19, 2025, 07:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 18, 2025, 19:43 EST
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On Tuesday, the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 draft came and went.
The Toronto Blue Jays only added one player, Ricky Tiedemann, to their 40-man roster, leaving them with two available 40-man roster spots. They could’ve (and maybe should’ve) protected Yohendrick Piñango and T.J. Brock, but time will tell if they are selected in Dec. 10’s Rule 5 draft.
Had they not gone all-in before the 2025 trade deadline, they surely would’ve protected Kendry Rojas. Well, the Minnesota Twins did just that on Tuesday after acquiring him from the Jays for Louis Varland and Ty France.
After the trade, Rojas finished his season with the Twins’ Triple-A team, posting a 6.59 ERA and 5.73 FIP in 27.1 innings pitched, with a 19.3 K% and 15.9 BB%. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Rojas with the Twins at some point next season.

Red Sox DFA Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Winckowski

There was also a former Blue Jays’ prospect released on Tuesday, as the Boston Red Sox designated Josh Winckowski for assignment, as well as Nathaniel Lowe.
Winckowski was drafted in the 15th round of the 2016 draft by the Blue Jays, but was traded before the 2021 season to the New York Mets with two other prospects for Steven Matz. The right-handed pitcher was then traded to the Red Sox.
His best season with the American League East team was in 2023, where he had a 2.88 ERA and 3.91 FIP in 84.1 innings pitched. Unfortunately, Winckowski missed most of the 2025 season due to an elbow injury, only throwing 11.2 innings in six outings.
It was a tough season for Lowe, as he slashed .228/.307/.381 with 18 home runs in 609 plate appearances for a 91 wRC+, the first time in his career he’s had a sub-100 wRC+. Teams may take a flier on him in the off-season, as he once had a 27-home run season in 2022.

Mets release Frankie Montas

Another player who had a tough year was Frankie Montas. On Tuesday, he was released from his contract, which makes sense given he’ll miss the entirety of the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery.
The 32-year-old spent the season with the New York Mets, where he had a 6.28 ERA and 5.29 FIP in 38.2 innings pitched, with an 18 K% and 7.9 BB%. His most recent full season was in 2024, where Montas had a 4.84 ERA and 4.71 FIP in 150.2 innings pitched.
Don’t be surprised if the Mets make some more moves this off-season, as they had a disappointing season.

Rays and White Sox make a trade

There were a handful of trades on Tuesday because of the protection deadline. The most notable of the bunch saw the Tampa Bay Rays send Everson Pereira and Tanner Murray to the Chicago White Sox for Yoendrys Gómez and Steven Wilson.
The Rays got two players with big league experience, as Gómez threw 62.2 innings with the White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees in 2025. Overall, he finished with a 5.17 ERA and 5.26 FIP. Wilson, 31, finished the 2025 season with 55.1 innings pitched with the White Sox, finishing with a 3.42 ERA and 4.29 FIP.
It’s the second time Pereira has been traded since the end of July, as the New York Yankees sent him to the Rays in exchange for José Caballero. Pereira has 176 big league plate appearances, but hasn’t found much success at the level, posting a 25 wRC+ and 38.6 K%.  Murray was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, but had a tough season in Triple-A, slashing .241/.299/.400 with 18 home runs in 572 plate appearances for an 81 wRC+.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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