Blue Jays Claim Closer Off Waivers

The Toronto Blue Jays have added to their bullpen depth, claiming recently DFA'd closer Paul Sewald.

ROSTER MOVES: ⁰⁰🔹 Claimed RHP Paul Sewald off waivers from the Dbacks ⁰⁰🔹 RHP Jake Bloss has been recalled to the Major League roster and placed on the 60-day IL pic.twitter.com/ECZOqRj3KG

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 12, 2026

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated Sewald for assignment after he posted a 6.23 ERA in 39 innings pitched, converting 24 of 27 save opportunities. He struck out 44 batters against only nine walks, while recording a 1.10 WHIP. He has held opponents to a .228 batting average. But he also gave up 12 home runs, not ideal for a closer (just ask former Blue Jay Jeff Hoffman). 

There might still be something there in the 36-year-old Sewald, and the Jays will try to unlock it.

He has 110 career saves, including a personal best of 34 in 2023. Of course, the Jays don't need Sewald to be their closer—one of the best in baseball this season, Louis Varland, has that taken care of. But if Sewald can use this fresh start to recapture an ability to be a leverage arm of some sort, it could be a huge boon to Toronto. 

The Blue Jays, who looked dead in the water in the playoff hunt as recently as the trade deadline at the beginning of this month, are now just 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot (three games in the loss column). Their odds of making the postseason are still only at 13.5%, per Baseball Reference, and only 12.2% as calculated by FanGraphs, as they do have four other teams ahead of them as well. But after going 9-4 in their last 13 games, they're giving it a run.