Blue Jays sign Turnbull and Urena, transfer Scherzer to 60-day injured list

The Toronto Blue Jays made a flurry of moves on Monday, announcing that they have signed right-handed pitchers Spencer Turnbull and José Ureña to one-year contracts.

In corresponding moves, the Blue Jays transferred starting pitcher Max Scherzer and reliever Erik Swanson to the 60-day injured list. Turnbull will report to the Florida Complex League (FCL) Blue Jays and ramp up in the coming weeks.

Turnbull, 32, last pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024. He appeared in 17 games (seven starts) and finished with a 2.65 ERA with 58 strikeouts across 54 1/3 innings. Turnbull was particularly effective as a starter, registering a 1.78 ERA in his seven starts with 38 strikeouts.

Turnbull missed the 2022 season after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Before that, the right-hander was a reliable arm for the Detroit Tigers, combining for a 3.46 ERA across 20 starts split between 2020 and 2021.

Ureña, 33, has bounced around for much of his career, most recently appearing in one game for the New York Mets this season. Ureña appeared in 33 games (nine starts) with the Texas Rangers in 2024, finishing with a 3.80 ERA and 70 strikeouts across 109 innings.

In contrast to Turnbull, the right-handed Ureña performed better as a reliever last season, with a 2.92 ERA across 64 2/3 innings out of the Rangers’ bullpen. Ureña is expected to be with the Blue Jays when they open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

A starter has not yet been named for Tuesday’s game on Toronto’s end. José Berríos is expected to get the ball on Wednesday against former Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi, who counters for the Angels.

Scherzer’s return still TBD

On the injury front, Swanson will be eligible to come off the IL on May 26, while Scherzer could return on May 29. Additionally, lefty reliever Josh Walker has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.

Scherzer has been sidelined since the opening week of the season due to the lingering thumb issue, lasting just three innings (45 pitches) in his lone start for Toronto. The setback is the latest in a slew of injuries for the former three-time Cy Young winner as he made a combined 17 starts in the two seasons before signing a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays.

Toronto is in scramble mode with the No. 5 spot in its rotation as Scherzer works his way back. The answers so far have included four Easton Lucas starts, skipping the spot in the pitching order, and most recently, a bullpen day led by Yariel Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, Swanson has yet to take the mound for Toronto this season because of his forearm injury. Although an MRI showed no structural damage, the reliever has made little progress regarding returning to the lineup. The 31-year-old was shut down before a rehab game last Wednesday and will presumably be on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

Swanson was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2023 with a 2.97 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 69 games (66 2/3 innings) in his first season with the Blue Jays. He struggled last season, however, finishing with a 5.03 ERA in 45 games out of the bullpen.

With files from Sportsnet staff