Blue Jays Sign Veteran Pitcher After Impressive 2025 Season
.jpg "Minnesota Twins pitcher Justin Topa pitches during 2026 game.")
The Toronto Blue Jays signed the veteran right-hander to a minor league contract, with Topa assigned to Triple-A Buffalo.
The 35-year-old was released by the Minnesota Twins in late May after posting an 8.05 ERA, a 2.00 WHIP, and 27 hits allowed across 19 innings, the latest difficult chapter in a career that has been defined by injury setbacks and improbable returns.
Justin Topa, released by MIN last month, has signed a minor-league deal with #BlueJays, per the transaction log.
— Thomas Hall (@Hall_Thomas_) June 3, 2026
He's been assigned to AAA Buffalo and will serve as additional depth for a big-league bullpen currently running on fumes.
The Road That Got Him Here
What makes the Topa signing worth paying attention to beyond a routine minor league transaction is the career behind it.
Topa has undergone two Tommy John surgeries, missed nearly an entire season with the Twins after tearing his patellar tendon in his left knee, and has also missed time with ankle, triceps, and oblique injuries across seven professional seasons.
When healthy and mechanically right, the results have been strong.
Justin Topa, Wicked 94mph Two Seamer...with 21 inches of run. pic.twitter.com/3vkGYMcWqF
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 18, 2023
He posted a 2.61 ERA across 75 appearances with Seattle in 2023, his best big league season, and backed that up with a 3.90 ERA across 60 innings with Minnesota last year.
His sinker averaged 95.2 mph as recently as 2023 and has dropped to 93.2 mph this season, which combined with declining groundball rates and walk rates trending in the wrong direction tells the story of a pitcher whose stuff has slipped from where it was at his peak.
He is the second former Twins reliever to sign with Toronto in as many months, following Matt Bowman, who also signed a minor league deal after being released by Minnesota in May.
The Blue Jays are dealing with a rotation that has been hit hard by injuries to Max Scherzer, Jose Berrios, and Shane Bieber at various points, and any veteran arm with proven big league production is worth a Triple-A investment while the organization waits for health to return.
Photo Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
