Pearson (4-0) picked up the win Sunday over the Twins, allowing one hit and striking out three over two scoreless innings.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander needed only 25 pitches (16 strikes) to knife through the Minnesota order, and he was still the pitcher of record when Cavan Biggio launched a game-winning homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pearson's four wins have come in only 16 appearances, including three in his last four games, and his 2.05 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB through 22 innings highlight how well he and his 98 mph fastball have adjusted to a high-leverage bullpen role.

Pearson (3-0) blew a save but picked up a win in Sunday's victory over the Mets, giving up two solo home runs in an inning of relief. He struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander came into the game having not allowed an earned run in five straight appearances while posting an 11:1 K:BB, but Pearson got taken deep by Starling Marte and Pete Alonso in the sixth inning to erase a 4-2 lead. Fortunately for Pearson and the Blue Jays, Brandon Belt answered back with a two-run shot in the top of the seventh. Pearson appears to be finding a home in the bullpen, delivering a 28.8 percent strikeout rate against a 6.8 walk rate in 18 innings since his promotion.

The Blue Jays recalled Pearson from Triple-A Buffalo on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

As anticipated, the flamethrowing right-hander will move into the Toronto bullpen on the heels of a spectacular start to the season at Buffalo, with whom he posted a 2.16 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB over 8.1 innings. Though he has prior starting experience, Pearson wasn't asked to record more than four outs in any of his eight appearances with Buffalo, so he could be deployed as more of a traditional reliever than a multi-inning option out of the Blue Jays bullpen. If he can continue make bats miss at a prolific clip while keeping his walks in check, Pearson could quickly move into a high-leverage role in front of closer Jordan Romano.

Pearson is set to join the Blue Jays in Toronto on Monday and could be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo ahead of the big club's series opener versus the White Sox, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Blue Jays appear to have abandoned developing Pearson as a starter due to injuries having cost him extensive time in each of the previous three seasons, but the power right-hander still possesses the type of premium velocity that could make him a major weapon near the back end of the bullpen. He's flashed that potential thus far at Buffalo, pitching to a 2.16 ERA and 16:5 K:BB across 8.1 innings over his eight appearances. Once he's formally activated, Pearson could start out in a lower-leverage role out of the bullpen, but it's not difficult to envision him emerging as one of the top setup men for closer Jordan Romano if he can stay healthy and keep his free passes in check.

Pearson was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo by the Blue Jays on Saturday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pearson will begin the season in Triple-A after forging a 3.24 ERA over six Grapefruit League appearances with a 13:5 K:BB and 1.56 WHIP. The talented right-hander will head to Buffalo as a relief option, and if he pitches well in that role he could help the Toronto bullpen in the early part of the season.

Pearson topped out at 100.8 miles per hour with his fastball during his appearance in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees, Mike Wilner of The Toronto Star reports.

EDGE Analysis

The line in the box score was less impressive, as the right-hander allowed one run on two hits, two walks and a wild pitch over one inning, but Pearson struck out the side while tossing 18 of 31 pitches for strikes. The one-time top prospect has had his development derailed by multiple injuries and the Blue Jays might have given up on the idea of him holding up under a starter's workload, but Pearson still has a chance to make an impact in the majors as a high-leverage reliever if he can stay healthy in 2023.

Pearson "looks really comfortable in his own skin right now" and "his stuff is outstanding," Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker told Keegan Matheson of MLB.com Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Pearson's career has been sidetracked by injury, most recently with his 2022 season being wiped out by mononucleosis and then a lat strain. He's healthy now, though, and while his days of starting might be over, he has the potential to be a lockdown reliever for the Jays.

The Blue Jays reinstated Pearson (lat) from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.

EDGE Analysis

Since Buffalo's season has already ended, Pearson won't report to the Triple-A affiliate and will instead stick around at the Blue Jays' spring facility in Florida, where he'll likely continue to stay sharp in case Toronto requires an extra bullpen arm during its upcoming postseason run, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. Pearson never made any appearances at the big-league level in 2022 after opening the campaign on the shelf while recovering from mononucleosis before he suffered a lat strain in June during his rehab assignment.

Interim manager John Schneider said the goal for Pearson (lat) is to get him throwing multiple innings again, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pearson has been in the minors on rehab assignments for all of the 2022 season. Since he began working back from his lat strain, he has pitched more than one inning one time -- a 1.1 inning appearance Wednesday in which he struck out four batters. That being said, if the goal is to get him back to working in multiple innings for Toronto, then it is hard to say if he will be back before the postseason.

Pearson (lat) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Single-A Dunedin, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pearson progressed to facing live batters earlier this week and has now been cleared for game action in the minors. The 26-year-old should make an appearance or two for Dunedin before moving the rehab assignment up to Triple-A Buffalo.