April 4, 2021

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

Ahead of their Opening Series finale in the Bronx, the Toronto Blue Jays have recalled left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone and optioned righty Joel Payamps to the club's taxi squad.

In a corresponding 40-man roster move, RHP Kirby Yates (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

A veteran of 10 MLB seasons, Milone, 24, owns a cumulative ERA of 4.56 with an overall WHIP of 1.327 across 183 big league appearances. In three games with the Atlanta Braves last year (all starts), the 6-foot product of Saugus, Calif., allowed 16 earned runs across just 9 2/3 innings.

Milone fared better this spring, striking out six of the 34 batters he faced while allowing just a pair of earned runs over his 8 2/3 innings.

Signed to a one-year, $5.5M deal in January, Yates underwent Tommy John surgery on March 25. The 34-year-old will miss all of the 2021 season before hitting the free-agent market again next November.

INJURY UPDATES

Robbie Ray (left elbow contusion) is nearing a return to the active roster, while both Nate Pearson (right adductor strain) and Thomas Hatch (right elbow impingement) continue to throw on flat ground, per pitching coach Pete Walker.

"Ray is really close, Nate will be off the mound soon and Hatch as well," explained Walker in a pre-game Zoom call on Sunday morning. "(Hatch) is feeling great, but obviously, with the initial elbow issue, we're going to be cautious. He's a guy that's going to pitch a lot of big innings for us over the course of his career. We're not going to rush him, but we will have him back at some point."

Missing a sizable amount of 2020's shortened campaign with elbow tightness, Pearson was looking forward to moving past his injury troubles when camp got underway in February. An untimely groin strain countered those plans in mid-March.

"He's frustrated and wants to be here," added Walker. "He misses being here and knows his mind is ready to be here. It's just that his body hasn't cooperated up until this point. It will be exciting to get him back this year. He feels great right now and is moving along nicely."

"It's difficult when you feel like you're an impact guy and you're not able to impact the team the way you want to. He'll get over that, and once he's here and gets rolling, he'll be a big plus for this team."

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