Blue Jays add to their pitching depth with T.J. House

By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

In a continued effort to source out viable left-handed relief options following the departure of Brett Cecil, the Toronto Blue Jays signed left-handed hurler T.J. House to a minor league deal on Wednesday.

House, 27, is a veteran of 27 major league contests, 22 of which came out of the starting rotation for the Cleveland Indians between the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Signed by the Tribe in the 16th round of 2008’s June amateur draft, the product of Picayune, MS has pitched to an overall ERA of 3.96 with a WHIP of 1.479 across 217 games since making his professional debut with the Lake County Captains (SALL) in 2009.

In 2016, House went 5-3 with an ERA of 3.98 over 33 games with triple-A Columbus. The 6’1″ southpaw made four relief appearances with the World Series-bound Tribe last year, allowing a run on six hits through 2.2 innings of work prior to being designated for assignment and later outrighted off the team’s 40-man roster in September.

Having limited port-sided hitters to an overall opponents batting average of .267 with 35 strikeouts and only five walks over 141 big league plate appearances, House’s future value will likely come as a left-handed specialist out of the bullpen. That said, his impressive 2014 rookie campaign may lead to additional looks as a starter so long as his once bothersome shoulder issues remains a thing of the past.

Inked to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training, House is expected to compete with fellow lefties Matt Dermody and Chad Girodo for a spot in Toronto’s bullpen next season.

OF NOTE

House’s last start in the majors came against the Blue Jays on April 30th, 2015 at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

After holding Toronto to only a hit through the first three, Jose Bautista led off the fourth inning with a walk prior to going from first to third on a line drive single off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion. Danny Valencia then singled to cash in Bautista, and Russell Martin doubled to deep right field to plate Encarnacion.

Martin was promptly ushered in by a Kevin Pillar double before Cleveland’s shell-shocked starter received the hook without recording an out in the frame.

Replaced on the Tribe's 25-man roster by Tyler Holt, House was put on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation on May 1st and would go on to miss the better part of 2015.