Former Twins righty reliever Jorge Alcalá signs a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays
Former Twins right-handed reliever Jorge Alcalá and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to big league camp during spring training, according to reports 7News Ari Alexander of Boston WHDH.
Blue Jays is Alcalá’s third organization to join since leaving the Twins
The Twins traded Alcalá to the Boston Red Sox on June 11 in exchange for minor league utility man Andy Lugo after Alcalá started the season with an abysmal 8.88 ERA over 24 1/3 innings. Alcalá’s fall was largely unexpected, as he had a 3.24 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings the season before.
Alcalá had one short tenure with Bostonas the Red Sox designated him for assignment on August 5 after he posted a 3.31 ERA with 18 strikeouts and eight walks in 16 1/3 innings for the historic franchise. Two days later, the St. Louis Cardinals claimed Alcalá off waivers.
In 15 games for the Cardinals, Alcalá posted a 5.02 ERA with 15 strikeouts and seven walks over 14 1/3 innings. The St. Louis front office decided it had seen enough from the former Twins righty when he announced the decision to designate him for assignment last month.
Alcalá’s main problem last season was his inability to restrict free passes; his 11.7% walk rate ranked in the seventh percentile. His groundball percentage (34.5%) was also poor, ranking in the 14th percentile. And while his hard hit rate (37.6%) was in the 71st percentile, his barrel rate (10.9%) was in the low 10th percentile.
Alcalá joins a Blue Jays team that lost the 2025 World Series in heartbreaking fashion to the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing Game 7 5-4 in extra innings after being two outs away from winning in the ninth inning. Alcalá will have to prove during spring training that he is still an MLB-caliber pitcher if he wants to make Toronto’s Opening Day roster. If he returns to the major leagues with the Blue Jays, he will join fellow former Twin Louis Varland in the bullpen.
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