June 26, 2025
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Some news and notes about former Toronto Blue Jays from the past week:
Gaston to throw out first pitch at IBL Leafs game on Friday
Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston will throw out the first pitch prior to the Intercounty Baseball League game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Guelph Royals at Christie Pits on Friday night.
Gaston, who guided the Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, joined the Leafs as an advisor in December.
Rob Butler, the Leafs’ field manager, played for the Gaston on the 1993 World Series-winning team and again in 1994.
Price, Sanders elected to College Baseball Hall of Fame
The College Baseball Hall of Fame announced its class of 2025 on Monday and it includes two former Blue Jays.
Left-hander David Price, who went 9-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 starts with the Blue Jays in 2015 after he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, will be inducted for his dominant three seasons at Vanderbilt University.
Sanders was the Blue Jays’ first-round pick in the 1986 MLB draft. The 6-foot-4 Moss Point, Miss., native was a two-way player at Jackson State University. During his three collegiate campaigns, Sanders was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hitter of the Year and the Pitcher of the Year. In 1986, he hit .432 with 17 home runs and 60 RBIs to propel the team to a SWAC championship.
Sanders started his pro career as a two-way player with the Blue Jays’ class-A Short-Season affiliate in St. Catharines in 1986. That season, he went 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA in 11 starts and also hit .297 in 108 at bats. Beginning in 1987, he focused on pitching and he’d toe the rubber for four more seasons in the Blue Jays’ system, rising to the double-A level, before completing his pro career in double-A in the Braves’ and Astros organizations.
Merrifield announces his retirement
Whit Merrifield announced his retirement on Wednesday.
Merrifield played parts of two seasons with the Blue Jays after he was acquired from the Kansas City Royals on August 2, 2022. The versatile South Carolina native was an All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2023 when he batted .272 with 11 home runs in 145 games.
In total, the three-time All-Star played parts of nine big league seasons with the Royals, Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. He finished with a .280 batting average with 1,249 hits in 1,147 games.
“I was never talented enough to just show up and play,” the 36-year-old Merrifield said in a statement. “Baseball required my full focus and energy for me to compete at the level I wanted to, and I realize I can no longer give that effort. At this point in life, I’d much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders.”
40th anniversary of George Bell‘s karate kick on Bruce Kison
Monday represented the 40th anniversary of Blue Jays slugger George Bell delivering a karate kick to Boston Red Sox pitcher Bruce Kison after getting hit by a pitch in the fourth inning of a game at Exhibition Stadium.
Nathan Sager and Mark Hebscher shared memories of the incident in excellent articles this week. Click on their names to read them.
Ex-Blue Jays transactions list
June 19 – The Arizona Diamondbacks signed right-hander Trevor Richards and left-hander Anthony Gose to minor league contracts
June 24 – After being designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs on the weekend, left-hander Genesis Cabrera has elected to become a free agent.
June 24 – The Minnesota Twins signed right-hander Jose Urena to a minor league contract.
June 24 – The Chicago White Sox signed Blue Jays’ 2010 first-round pick Noah Syndergaard to a minor league contract.
June 25 – The New York Mets designated left-hander Richard Lovelady for assignment.
June 26 – The Detroit Tigers designated left-hander Matt Gage for assignment.
Thanks for the updates, Kevin.
Thanks for your continued support, Bob.
Thanks for the updates.
Thanks for reading them.