Ricky Tiedemann records his first big league punchout! The @BlueJays' No. 11 prospect, who flashed 96.8 mph with his fastball, racked up 237 strikeouts over 147 career innings in the Minors.
Ricky Tiedemann overcame injuries to make long-awaited MLB debut in 2026
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Nov 5, 2026, 09:30 ESTUpdated: Nov 5, 2026, 10:32 EST
Oftentimes the biggest factor in a pitchers career is whether they can have good enough health to succeed in Major League Baseball.
Even pitchers who enter organizations with all the talent in the world, if injuries continually creep in, it can change the timeline of when they reach the games highest level.
In Ricky Tiedemann’s case, he joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization after being selected in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft, but from 2023 on, the left-hander has always been held back from reaching his full potential due to the injury bug.
How the year went
Tiedemann opened the 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list in Triple-A Buffalo as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery. Tiedemann’s last time on the mound was July 10, 2024, so after missing all of 2025, the goal was for the left-hander to restore some of the hype he built in previous campaigns.
After two outings in the FCL in June, Tiedemann was transferred to Single-A Dunedin, but on the day of his scheduled appearance, the lefty ended up being scratched. Tiedemann ended up missing over a month after receiving injections in his neck and shoulder to alleviate discomfort.
Tiedemann returned to the mound on July 25, and after two shutout outings with Dunedin, the 23-year-old was summoned back to Triple-A Buffalo. After three appearances with the Bisons, while working out of their bullpen, Tiedemann was recalled by the Blue Jays on August 15.
Later that afternoon, Tiedemann made his MLB debut against the New York Yankees during a 4-1 Blue Jays victory. Tiedemann turned in a pitching line of 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, with his first big-league punchout coming when he got Yankees catcher Austin Wells swinging on an 0-2 sweeper.
While Tiedemann ended up being optioned the following day after throwing 27 pitches, he was brought back to Toronto when rosters expanded on September 1. In September, Tiedemann made four shutout appearances, a stretch that spanned 4.1 innings, and where he struck out six batters while limiting opponents to a .200 average.
In total, Tiedemann pitched in six games with the Blue Jays during his rookie campaign and turned in a 1.50 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP. Tiedemann struck out eight across six innings and held opponents to a .227 average.
Currently, Tiedemann, Mason Fluharty, Brendan Cellucci, and Brendon Little represent the left-handed relievers on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster. While there could be additions this winter, Tiedemann has a shot to make himself a full-time major leaguer in 2027.
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