The Toronto Blue Jays have demoted a struggling pitcher amid some minor league shakeups.
Toronto announced that right-handed pitcher Fernando Perez was demoted from Double-A New Hampshire to Single-A Dunedin. It was a surprising demotion, as he didn’t get sent down just one level to High-A, but was sent down to Single-A. The news was revealed in the MiLB transactions log.
Perez signed with the Blue Jays in January of 2022 out of Nicaragua for just $10,000. He wasn’t a major signing, but he has pitched well. The right-hander spent his first two years in Rookie Ball before pitching in Single-A in 2024.
In 2025, Perez began the year in High-A and was promoted to Double-A, where he began the season. However, despite this being his second year in Double-A, Perez has struggled mightily.
Perez has made 4 starts and is 0-1 with a 7.11 ERA, and now the Blue Jays have demoted him two levels amid his disappointing season.
In his pro career, Perez is 12-16 with a 3.64 ERA in 70 games, including 69 starts, as he’s in his fifth pro season.
Blue Jays Make Other Roster Moves
Toronto made some other changes to its minor-league rosters.
The Blue Jays announced that second baseman Dameury Pena is promoted to High-A Vancouver from Single-A Dunedin.
Acquired in the Jeff Hoffman trade, Pena batted .318 over 12 games in Dunedin before the bump to @vancanadians!
“Dameury Pena is Vancouver-bound. Acquired in the Jeff Hoffman trade, Pena batted .318 over 12 games in Dunedin before the bump to Vancouver,” the Dunedin Blue Jays wrote on X.
Pena was part of the trade return from the Minnesota Twins for Jeff Hoffman. He wasn’t the main focus of the trade but has played well in the Blue Jays system. He’s hitting .318 with 4 RBIs in 12 games.
Another move Toronto made was promoting 22-year-old Daniel Guerra to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons just two weeks after promoting the 6-foot-6, 230-pound righty from High-A to Double-A.
Toronto signed the right-hander out of Venezuela as an international free agent in June 2022 for a bonus of only $40,000. He’s 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 19 games, including 15 starts, as he started the year in Rookie Ball and is now in Triple-A.
Toronto Fighting for Playoff Spot
GettyBlue Jays battling for playoff spot.
The Blue Jays completed their tough stretch, which included a series loss to the New York Yankees over the weekend. Toronto now has 30 games left and Blue Jays manager John Schneider was impressed with how the team played.
“It’s a tough stretch. It’s good teams,” Schneider said. “A .500 road trip against in-division teams that are at the top. You want to say that’s good, but we need to be a little bit better in certain situations. But, big picture, you get through this stretch and enjoy the off day. I like the way that we’re playing and hopefully continue to take another step forward when we get home on Tuesday.”
Toronto now begins a three-game home series against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. The Blue Jays will end August with a weekend home series against the Seattle Mariners.
Toronto is 64-68 and is 2 games out of a Wild Card spot.
Blue Jays Demote 5-Year Pitcher Amid Brutal Season Before Royals Series