The Toronto Blue Jays lost to the New York Yankees 8-3 on Sunday, dropping the three-game series in New York and halting their momentum in the race for an American League wild-card spot.
After winning seven of their last 10 coming into the Yankees series, the Blue Jays had pushed their way into playoff contention. They now return home Tuesday to face the Kansas City Royals for three games, hoping to reignite their wild-card chase where they sit 1½ games behind the final AL spot.
Before the Royals series, the Blue Jays made a decision with a 27-year-old pitching prospect who may be as well known for going viral on the internet as for his injury-marred professional baseball career.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Toronto’s Double-A affiliate, placed right-hander T.J. Brock on the 7-day injured list Monday, according to the MiLB.com transaction ledger. No specific diagnosis accompanied the move, extending a stop-and-start comeback from Tommy John surgery that had only just resumed at the Double-A level after a season and a half on the shelf.
T.J. Brock’s Viral Status Online
Brock’s name traveled far outside baseball circles last October, when social media users surfaced clips and photos allegedly placing the Cincinnati native inside the orbit of late Chicago rapper King Von. The Source Magazine detailed the discovery in a feature on the unlikely crossover, reporting that Brock appeared in Von’s music videos, stood alongside him on stage during performances, and regularly had his Instagram posts liked by the rapper before Von’s death in 2020. The story spread quickly across social media platforms, racking up hundreds of thousands of views within days.
The outlet also reported that Brock carries a tattoo of “V Roy,” one of Von’s street aliases, and that footage circulated showing him taking part in Von’s long-running feud with fellow Chicago drill artist Wooski, details that earned Brock the online nickname “O Block Brock.” The Source additionally connected him to Kodak Black, Pooh Shiesty, Lil Durk, Moneybagg Yo and Blac Youngsta.
Brock addressed the attention directly in July, when the Dunedin Blue Jays posted an interview with him during his rehab assignment there. He chalked up the connections to his outgoing personality and genuine love of both baseball and rap music, saying the relationships came from naturally meeting people who shared his interests.
Injury History and Rule 5 Status
Brock’s health has been the bigger obstacle to his career than any internet attention. He missed most of 2024 with elbow trouble that limited him to roughly 11 innings, dominant when he did pitch, and still made the Arizona Fall League that fall as a Rising Star with Scottsdale. He underwent Tommy John surgery in early 2025 that wiped out his entire season, then worked back through rehab assignments in the Florida Complex League and at Dunedin this July before rejoining New Hampshire.
His career MiLB line stands at 8-1 with a 4.61 ERA, 14 saves and 140 strikeouts across 84 innings, though his 2026 numbers remain iffy — an 8.22 ERA over just 7⅔ innings across eight outings, a small sample from a pitcher still building back arm strength.
The Blue Jays left Brock unprotected for last December’s Rule 5 draft after he became eligible following four professional seasons, prioritizing Ricky Tiedemann and Brandon Valenzuela for the 40-man roster instead. No club selected him, but Brock will once again be Rule 5 eligible this coming winter meaning that his mostly lost 2026 season could be his last in the Blue Jays organization.
Blue Jays Announce Decision on ‘Viral’ Pitcher Before Royals Series