Nate Pearson ‘more at peace’ as he rejoins Blue Jays bullpen

TORONTO — The last time Nate Pearson pitched in a major-league game was Oct. 3, 2021. He tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen in the Blue Jays' 12-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles, marking his fifth straight appearance without allowing a run.

There was some semblance the hard-throwing right-hander was finally about to make good on his tantalizing potential, but that didn't last long. Mononucleosis and a lat strain limited Pearson to just 13 minor-league games the following year in what was essentially a lost season.

Reflecting on his journey Monday afternoon in the home dugout at Rogers Centre, Pearson summed it up succinctly.

"I've been through some stuff," Pearson said, "So, it's good just to be able to be here early in the year and help the team out. I'm excited."

The Blue Jays summoned the 26-year-old from triple-A Buffalo Monday when reliever Adam Cimber was placed on the 15-day IL with a right rhomboid strain. The hope is that this is a different Nate Pearson than the club has seen in the past and Pearson acknowledged as much, highlighting the mental growth he's undergone since his last stint in the bigs.

"Just more at peace," he said. "Accepting whatever outcome, as long as I'm competing. Definitely a lot of peace in that. I'm healthy and feel good."

Selected by the Blue Jays in the first round (28th overall) of the 2017 draft, Pearson began his pro career as a starting pitcher. Beginning in 2020, though, he oscillated between life as a starting pitcher and reliever, largely due to an array of injuries that stunted his development.

However, this past off-season, the Blue Jays offered him stability with the directive that he'd be pitching exclusively out of the bullpen.

"He's been a back-and-forth starter, reliever, bulk guy," said manager John Schneider. "Diving into the reliever role has been really good for him ... I think messaging that to him in spring training was kind of a sigh of relief for him and [we] love the way he's gone about it so far."

Pearson has been a force to open this campaign, sporting a 2.16 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 8.1 innings out of the Bisons’ bullpen. He allowed five hits to go with five walks and notched the first save of his pro career on Friday.

The right-hander features an electric fastball that can touch 100 m.p.h., along with a slider and improving curveball, and says he's been focusing on working quickly and attacking hitters, trying to get ahead early in counts.

Schneider says that was evident from the reports he received during Pearson's time in Buffalo.

"I think it was 60 per cent strikes with all of his pitches," said the manager. "And when we talked in spring, it was trying to get two out of the first three strikes. So [it's about] just continuing that."

Pearson was available during Monday night’s 5-2 win over the Chicago White Sox, but didn’t get into the contest. Schneider said game situations will determine how the club utilizes Pearson, at least in the early going. Factors could include where the opposing team is in their lineup and who they have available to pinch hit, he noted, adding the club would try to use Pearson “probably earlier [in a game] to kind of err on the side of caution now, but not afraid to bring him in if he needs to come in and strike somebody out.”

Pearson says he's gained a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed out of the bullpen. The life of a reliever is vastly different than that of their starting pitcher counterparts and if he needs a reminder of what a successful transition can look like, he can simply peer a few lockers over toward the stall occupied by teammate Jordan Romano.

The Blue Jays’ closer spent four years as a starter across four levels in the organization's minor-league system before he was moved to the bullpen by the Texas Rangers in the spring of 2019. Romano — a Rule 5 selection — returned to the Blue Jays in late March of that year and briefly yo-yoed back into starting before finally getting the chance to gain comfort as a member of the relief corps. 

"It should be an easy transition, right?" Romano said. "You're just trying to go out there and get outs. But it's not. The bullpen is so much different. Learning that, and getting your routine locked in in the bullpen, is a big deal.

"Once I was in the bullpen full time, it's like you learn your routine and that's when you get really good," he adds. "Knowing I was just going to be in the bullpen really just gave me peace of mind, not trying to juggle the idea of maybe going back to starting."

Romano says mindset is a critical component to success out of the pen and for him, that involved structuring his time differently.

“When I first came up, I was really loose and joked around and then the phone would call and I'd get on the mound and then start throwing, but felt like I wasn't completely locked in. Now, I need a few innings to really lock it in and not let my mind wander so I could be fully locked in for the game. So, that's my thing. I start my routine in the sixth inning when I'm usually pitching the ninth.

“Sixth inning hits, I'm not really talking to anyone anymore,” he continues. “I'm not joking around. No distractions. I'm prepping to go in the game and do work … I know that now. Before, I didn’t and I felt like it really hurt me.”

Pearson, for his part, says he's honed a mindset and routine that works for him and is excited for the chance to once again deploy it in the majors.

"I know I'm going to go out there for a short amount of time, just competing to get outs and get the guys back in the dugout to hit,” said Pearson. “Try to be out there, make it quick as I can and limit the pitch count and how deep I go into each batter.

“Just compete and have fun, really. That's all I’m focused on."