The inevitable came to fruition.
On Tuesday, the Shatkins duo let one of the good guys go and, honestly, it is about time. The Blue Jays designated Jason Grilli for assignment and now have ten days to either release, trade, or send him down to Buffalo if he would be willing to accept the demotion.
News flash, he’s not heading down the QEW anytime soon.
It’s no secret the 40-year old fan favorite has struggled this season and, at times, struggled historically.
His 6.97 era was among the worst in the league for eligible pitchers. The passionate reliever was a veteran presence the Blue Jays desperately needed last season when they took a flyer on him from the Braves. Grilli managed a huge second half in 2016 and added some serious value for the ball club’s back end – so much so that they picked up his option for this season.
Unfortunately for the Grill Master, he just ran out of gas… only one, I promise.
But now what? That’s the question. After a steady 15-year MLB career, millions of dollars in earnings, and some of the greasiest hair in the league, you wonder what his next move will be. I would look for him to warrant his release and sign with a reliever starving contender. Let’s just hope its not in the AL East. No chance I want to see this guy hooting and hollering after he strikes out Pillar with an outside curve ball, pitching for the Yankees in September… although, seeing him with his haircut is intriguing.
The Blue Jays will carry on with their no-name bullpen and hopefully continue to impress. Joe Biagini will be added to the mix once Aaron Sanchez gets activated, unless Weirdo Joe is wearing a different jersey by then. It’s always Sonny in Oakland, Joe…
But for Jason Grilli, let’s salute the man. How often do you see a 40-year-old reliever have this much impact on a ball club and a city? They marketed the shit out of the guy and made every dollar back from him they could. Because of his father’s day promotion, the Blue Jays had to ride this out far too long when he should have been released a month ago.
A prime example of how the Shatkins duo operates. Take their time, assess, and react.
Winning teams don’t wait for the market to materialize, they set it.
