The Toronto Blue Jays added right-hander Todd Redmond, left-hander Rob Rasmussen and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to their 25-man roster before Monday’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Blue Jays selected the contract of Redmond while recalling Rasmussen and reinstating Dickey from the bereavement list. Toronto used seven relief pitchers in Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles after starter Scott Copeland recorded just four outs. Following the game the Blue Jays optioned Copeland, Ryan Tepera and Phil Coke to triple-A, setting up Monday’s moves.
Redmond appeared in three games for the Blue Jays earlier this year, allowing 11 earned runs in 8.1 innings. The 30-year-old has spent most of the season at triple-A, where he has a 4.81 ERA with 17 strikeouts and nine walks in 24.1 innings, mostly as a reliever. He did provide the Blue Jays with valuable innings as a reliever and occasional starter from 2013-14, when he posted a 3.79 ERA in 152 innings spanning 59 games.
Rasmussen has yet to pitch for the Blue Jays this year, but he has a 2.93 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 15 walks in 30.2 innings at triple-A. The 26-year-old pitched in 10 games for the Blue Jays in 2014.
Rasmussen and Dickey were already on Toronto’s 40-man roster and while Redmond wasn’t, the Blue Jays had an open spot.
