Erik Swanson: Everything you need to know

Swanson announced his retirement from professional baseball on his Instagram account Thursday. Swanson was one of the best relievers in the American League during 2022-23 seasons, posting a 2.39 ERA and 145:31 K:BB over 120.1 regular-season innings. It was a struggle the last two seasons, however, and he dealt with intermittent arm injuries during that stretch. The 32-year-old finishes with a career 4.20 ERA over parts of seven big-league seasons.

Swanson was released by the Blue Jays on Monday, per MLB's transactions log. Swanson was booted from the 40-man roster Tuesday and didn't receive any interest while on waivers. He'll search for an opportunity elsewhere after electing free agency.

The Blue Jays designated Swanson for assignment Tuesday. Swanson missed the first couple months of the season due to carpal tunnel syndrome in his right forearm, and he surrendered nine earned runs across 5.1 frames in his first six outings. The 31-year-old was a reliable high-leverage arm from 2021 to 2023 with a 2.60 ERA and 48 holds in 159 appearances, so he could receive some interest on the waiver wire.