A former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher was cut by his MLB team just hours before the start of free agency.
MLB free agency will begin at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, and there should be a rush to sign free agents. However, because of that, some veterans could lose their spots on the 40-man roster and get DFA’d.
That is exactly what happened to former Blue Jays pitcher Richard Lovelady.
Former Blue Jays Pitcher Cut by Nationals
Ahead of free agency opening, the Washington Nationals acquired infielder Nate Furman in a trade with the San Francisco Giants. In return, Washington dealt minor league left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck.
However, to make room on the 40-man roster, the Nationals announced they designated Richard Lovelady for assignment.
Lovelady has pitched in parts of seven MLB seasons. The left-hander was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Royals.
Lovelady then bounced around to the Atlanta Braves, Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays then signed the left-hander to a minor-league deal in January of 2025.
Lovelady made the Blue Jays Opening Day roster out of the bullpen, but he struggled. He appeared in just 2 games, going 1.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 2 hits for a 21.60 ERA. After two brutal appearances, Lovelady was DFA’d and eventually elected free agency after rejecting the outright assignment.
Lovelady then spent time with the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets organizations in 2025. This past season, he began the year with the Mets but struggled and was dealt to the Nationals for cash. Unfortnately, Lovelady suffered a left triceps strain in June, which ended his season.
Now, after being cut by the Nationals, it’s unclear if he will accept the outright assignment or elect free agency.
Toronto Coming off a Lackluster Season
The Blue Jays failed to make the playoffs this season as Toronto struggled from the get-go.
Toronto’s bats were a major reason for the disappointing year, as were the injuries to the pitching staff. After the season ended, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins felt like the team just couldn’t get momentum going.
“Offensively, we never gained any momentum. We never put the ball in the seats,” Atkins said. “We’re not walking, we’re not getting on base nearly enough. When that happens, you’re relying on line drives in gaps. The contact just wasn’t enough.”
Toronto should look to be active in free agency to add more offensive talent.
Former Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Suddenly Cut by MLB Team Ahead of Free Agecy