"Ben Cowles becomes a roster cut casualty as Max Scherzer re-signs with the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays originally picked up Cowles on February 18, claiming him off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. While Cowles has yet to make his big league debut, he was regarded as a player who could push for a bench role."
"But just over a week into Grapefruit League action, the Blue Jays have decided that they may have some better candidates in house, and so Cowles was let go. He didn't wander in the free agency abyss for long as the Cubs have reclaimed him, giving him another opportunity to get to the majors in 2026."
"The move was necessary to get Scherzer on the 40-man roster as he will start to build up his arm ahead of Opening Day. There is no firm plan on where Scherzer will fit in the Blue Jays' pitching plans for 2026, but getting a future Hall of Famer back into the club house was seen as a necessary fit by the Blue Jays' front office."
Ben Cowles, a 26-year-old infielder, was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Chicago Cubs on February 18 but released after just over a week of spring training. The Blue Jays needed to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for Max Scherzer, a 41-year-old future Hall of Famer who signed a one-year deal. Though Cowles had not made his major league debut, he was considered a potential backup middle infielder candidate. The Cubs quickly reclaimed him, offering another opportunity to reach the majors in 2026. Scherzer's acquisition was prioritized to add veteran pitching depth as he approaches career milestones of 3,000 innings pitched and 3,500 strikeouts.
Read at Jays Journal
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]