MILWAUKEE, WISC. — A yr and two days in the past, Rowdy Tellez was referred to as into his supervisor’s workplace to be taught he was being optioned to triple-A.

He was scuffling — sitting on a .209/.272/.338 line with a 62 wRC+. He was enjoying inconsistently — typically as a delegated hitter, typically as a primary baseman, most frequently as a late-game pinch-hitter off the bench. And the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t have room for him — they had been activating George Springer from the IL and anticipating the veteran outfielder needing his fair proportion of DH days going ahead.

Tellez noticed what the remainder of us did. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was entrenched as Toronto’s first baseman and properly on his approach to ending second in American League MVP voting. He wasn’t going wherever. Neither was Springer, who was within the first yr of a $150-million deal. Tellez believed he may play within the majors if given the chance; that he may understand his potential if he noticed constant enjoying time. And that he had nothing left to show at triple-A.

So, he advised the Blue Jays that if they might discover a crew prepared to commerce for him, he’d be open to the likelihood.

“Me and [Blue Jays GM] Ross [Atkins] talked once I received optioned and I advised him, ‘Hey, I really like my group, I really like my crew, I really like every part about it right here. However sooner or later I wish to additional my profession,’ ” Tellez says. “I did not particularly say, ‘Hey, Ross, I wish to be traded.’ I didn’t say that. However I stated, ‘If there’s an opportunity, I imagine in myself greater than being in triple-A.”

Tellez recalled that story Friday whereas sitting within the residence dugout at American Household Discipline in Milwaukee, the place he’s discovered the chance he sought. The Brewers traded reliever Trevor Richards and right-handed pitching prospect Bowden Francis to the Blue Jays for him early final July in a deal that addressed shortcomings for either side. The Blue Jays wanted instant bullpen assist. And the Brewers wanted a substitute for first baseman Daniel Vogelbach, who was observing an prolonged absence with a strained hamstring.

They usually didn’t solely get a substitute — they received an improve. Tellez hit .272/.333/.481 the remainder of the best way for Milwaukee, thriving with on a regular basis enjoying time. He began three of the 4 video games in Milwaukee’s divisional sequence with the Atlanta Braves, homering twice. And he’s picked up proper the place he left off in 2022, getting into Friday entrenched as Milwaukee’s on a regular basis first baseman, batting .249/.323/.459 with a 115 wRC+ within the coronary heart of a division chief’s order.

That’s why Tellez had a tough time discovering the phrases to explain the sensation of enjoying his previous crew this weekend. He spent the primary 9 years of his skilled profession with the Blue Jays. He was two utterly totally different variations of himself when he entered the group at 18 and exited it at 26; he made lifetime friendships with teammates like Danny Jansen, whose low season wedding ceremony he officiated, and Cavan Biggio, who used to crash at his spring-training home. However he’s in a greater place now.

“I would not name it bittersweet — however I’ve positively had a smile on my face all day right this moment. I get to see all the fellows I got here up with, teaching workers that I handled. I spent loads of time with the major-league workers even earlier than I received to the massive leagues. It is simply good to see everyone once more,” Tellez stated. “As quickly as I walked on the market [on the field,] everyone was sporting me out. Nothing new. It is simply actually good to see the fellows.”

That’s about the place the great vibes ended for Tellez Friday, as Alek Manoah and Toronto’s deep offence rolled over his Brewers, 9-4. Manoah had one other ho-hum, what-else-is-new, stable outing, holding Milwaukee to a two runs over 6.2 innings, putting out six.

And Alejandro Kirk had one other ho-hum, what-else-is-new night time on the plate, going 4-for-4 with a two-run shot. Kirk’s now homered in three straight video games and 4 of his final six. He’s hitting .321/.406/.513 on the season with a 161 wRC+ and extra walks than strikeouts, which aren’t solely spectacular numbers for a catcher, however for any hitter interval.

“It is unbelievable, man. He is available in, works exhausting day by day. Places his head down, does not ever get too large, does not ever get too down on himself. He simply stays tremendous constant,” Manoah stated. “He is as calm and as cool as you could be. You attempt to poke the bear and get a smile out of him. Even tonight, he is four-for-four and he is nonetheless not even smiling. He is received the jacket on and he is similar to, ‘OK.’ He is fairly superior.”

Your complete Blue Jays universe was dealt a scare within the seventh inning when Kirk’s left hand was clipped by a Jonathan Davis backswing. Kirk remained within the sport momentarily however left quickly after for precautionary X-Rays, which returned detrimental. He was coping with some soreness and inhibited vary of movement after the sport, however was optimistic he’d really feel higher on Saturday after receiving remedy.

The depth of Toronto’s lineup past Kirk shone by means of Friday, as properly. Matt Chapman plated three with a bases-loaded double from the seven-hole, Lourdes Gurriel Jr had a pair of hits batting eighth, and Cavan Biggio had two of his personal — plus a pair walks — from the very backside of the order, together with a late solo shot. After a tricky begin to the season, Biggio’s discovered his groove on the plate this month and dragged his wRC+ all the best way as much as 123.

“Biggio had some nice at-bats,” Montoyo stated. “It is enormous as a result of it stretches the lineup and offers the fellows on the prime an opportunity once more.”

For Manoah, Friday’s efficiency wasn’t a ceiling displaying, as he generated solely eight whiffs, left loads of pitches up over the plate, and labored round baserunners in all however one inning, permitting the leadoff man to succeed in in 5 of them. However it seems Manoah’s flooring is fairly good, too. And each time he wanted a groundball with site visitors behind him, he was capable of finding it.

“He battled. He battled exhausting. He was in bother a few instances. However you possibly can all the time depend on him to get out of bother,” Blue Jays supervisor Charlie Montoyo stated. “He will get greater when the second will get more durable.”

His diciest second got here within the second when he walked a pair earlier than Willy Adames reached with two out on a uncommon Chapman error at third. That introduced Tellez, of all folks, to the plate with the bases loaded. However after lacking together with his first pitch, Manoah regained depend leverage with a pair 96-mph fastballs earlier than getting Tellez to dribble an elevated sinker away into the shift, ending the inning.

“Yeah, I used to be attempting to go up. I hoped to go perhaps slightly extra up and in, that entrance hip,” Manoah stated. “However I believe it labored out completely. If it was in, he in all probability would’ve hit it fairly exhausting.”

Apparently, the Blue Jays prolonged Manoah additional than they’ve all season, sending him out for the seventh inning at 96 pitches with Milwaukee hitters seeing him a 3rd time. And the chance of that call materialized instantly as Tyron Taylor led off the inning lacing an 0-2 heater over the left-centre discipline wall. However Manoah retired his subsequent two hitters earlier than being lifted at 106 pitches and 27 batters confronted. His highs on the yr getting into the night time had been 102 and 29.

Asking Manoah to go just a bit bit additional had one thing to do with the rating, which was 8-1 originally of the seventh. And quite a bit to do with Manoah’s effectiveness and sturdiness, that are off the charts. However it additionally has not less than slightly to do with the threadbare state of Toronto’s bullpen, which misplaced one other leverage arm to the injured checklist Friday in Yimi Garcia, who will miss not less than 15 days with a left-back pressure.

Toronto’s bullpen wanted assist even earlier than Garcia joined Trevor Richards, Julian Merryweather, Tayler Saucedo, and Andrew Vasquez on the injured checklist. And Nate Pearson isn’t coming to assist any time quickly, because the 25-year-old’s rehab task with triple-A Buffalo got here to an finish final Sunday when he suffered a strained lat two pitches into an outing.

The membership’s minor-league reduction depth is equally skinny, with Adrian Hernandez and his screwball changeup seemingly essentially the most attention-grabbing arm that may very well be referred to as upon. The 22-year-old has a 1.80 ERA with Buffalo and has struck out 36.8 per cent of the batters he’s confronted this season. Definitely, his alternative will come. However there may be some query as to how the 5-foot-8, 190-pounder’s low-90’s fastball will play on the big-league degree. In fact, there’s just one approach to discover out.

All of that makes buying a reliever within the close to to mid time period a slightly urgent concern for the Blue Jays. However you possibly can’t pressure a commerce if different golf equipment aren’t prepared to deal. And the very fact the Blue Jays let a seemingly serviceable reduction arm in Roenis Elias go by means of waivers untouched this week doesn’t mission a way of urgency. Veteran right-hander Sergio Romo additionally cleared waivers just lately and was launched by the Seattle Mariners. He’s solely a telephone name away if the Blue Jays really feel there’s one thing left in his funky, sidewinding arm.

In fact, Tellez’s productive left-handed bat would look good in a right-handed heavy Blue Jays lineup, too. However the identical points that led to his commerce persist right this moment. Tellez can’t play wherever aside from first base, which is the place Guerrero performs. And the Blue Jays want their DH spot open to get common relaxation for Guerrero and Springer — the 32-year-old was out of the lineup Friday for a second consecutive sport because of an elbow difficulty — whereas protecting Kirk’s prodigious bat within the lineup when he isn’t behind the plate.

There’s simply nowhere to suit a participant with a profile like Tellez’s in. If the Blue Jays are going so as to add an influence left-handed bat to their lineup forward of the August 2 commerce deadline, the cleanest means to take action could be within the outfield — ideally with somebody who can play centre and spell Springer.

Andrew Benintendi is the title you’re going to listen to a lot between now and the deadline, because the Royals flounder and the 27-year-old nears free company this winter. Benintendi doesn’t barrel the ball a lot, however his contact-oriented method has nonetheless produced a .295/.360/.390 line this season, good for 117 wRC+. David Peralta is one other pending free agent on a crew going nowhere and should curiosity plenty of contenders because of his perennially robust exit velocities and defence. Whilst he enters his mid-30’s, Peralta continues to be an above-average hitter and boasts a 91st percentile outs above common.

The Blue Jays had some curiosity in Robbie Grossman finally yr’s deadline and will actually revisit it with the 26-43 Tigers, who could look to clear enjoying time later this season for his or her glut of younger outfielders. Grossman’s having a down yr on the plate and putting out at a barely alarming 30.7 per cent clip. However that efficiency stands in stark distinction to his observe report, and getting him out of Comerica Park — one of MLB’s worst offensive environments this season  — may assist unlock what labored previously.

Kole Calhoun, Ben Gamel, Ian Happ, Tyler Naquin — all candidates, as properly. The work the Blue Jays are doing now’s to find out who’s truly obtainable and assign values to these gamers earlier than testing the waters as to acquisition prices. All whereas concurrently finishing their draft preparations and contemplating day-to-day roster choices. It’s a busy time, even when it doesn’t all the time look like it on the transaction wire.

However final July’s Tellez deal — and the Adam Cimber acquisition the membership made every week earlier — exhibit it’s doable to make strikes at the moment of yr in case you’re motivated to. So long as the Blue Jays are profitable handily like they did Friday in Milwaukee, it gained’t appear as urgent a priority. However subsequent week the membership hosts the Boston Purple Sox for 3 and the Tampa Rays for 5 — not a typo — in what’s lining as much as be as vital every week as they get this early within the season.

Go take a look at the standings. Fewer than two video games separated the Blue Jays, Purple Sox, and Rays getting into Friday’s play. With the membership’s subsequent off day not till July 11, Toronto’s depth is about to be examined. It’s urgency, too.