Nate Pearson RP CHC Thu 4/7/22 1:34 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson (illness) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson is battling mononucleosis and is expected to miss an extended period. He'll likely stretch out as a starter for Triple-A Buffalo once healthy, though his best path to the majors this season could be via the bullpen.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Tue 4/5/22 12:36 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Tuesday that Pearson (illness) has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and will be out "a while," Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson was already on track to miss out on a spot in the Blue Jays' Opening Day bullpen after an unspecified ailment had kept him from working out with the team for the past few days, and he looks like he'll be sidelined for the first few weeks of the season now that he's received a diagnosis for his illness. The Blue Jays are expected to formally place Pearson on the injured list at some point before the weekend. Since Toronto had planned to have Pearson stretch out for starting duty in the spring, he could prepare for a rotation role with Triple-A Buffalo once he's cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Before he even resumes throwing, however, Pearson will turn his focus on resting up and attempting to shake off an illness that can often carry a volatile recovery timeline.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Mon 4/4/22 5:13 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
The Blue Jays informed Pearson (illness) on Monday that he won't be included on the Opening Day roster, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson reported to camp prepared to compete for a starting role, though the bullpen always seemed to be his most realistic path to a roster spot after the Blue Jays added Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi in free agency to fill out their rotation. The 25-year-old appeared to be on track to win a relief role after he struck out six and allowed four baserunners in 4.1 innings between his first two Grapefruit League appearances, but he hadn't appeared since March 26 after succumbing to an illness. It's unclear whether the Blue Jays will stash Pearson on the 10-day injured list while he recovers from the ailment, or if he'll be optioned to Triple-A Buffalo as Toronto trims down its active roster to 28 men ahead of Opening Day.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Thu 3/31/22 12:09 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson won't appear in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers as scheduled after he experienced potential COVID-19 symptoms, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson reportedly tested negative for the virus, so assuming he shakes off his illness within a few days, he should be ready to go by Opening Day. Even if that's the case, Pearson might not find himself on the major-league roster. According to Matheson, Pearson has already been ruled out from winning a rotation spot, and it's unclear whether Toronto wants him in the big-league bullpen rather than continuing to build up as a starter at Triple-A Buffalo.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Sun 3/27/22 1:01 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson gave up three runs on three hits over 2.1 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He struck out two without walking a batter.
EDGE Analysis
The flame-throwing right-hander entered the game to begin the fifth inning and quickly dispatched the bottom of the Yankees' order, but he gave up three straight hits to kick off the sixth, capped by a monster shot down the right-field line by Joey Gallo. Pearson is still being stretched out as a starter in camp and has an impressive 6:1 K:BB through 4.1 innings, but the Yusei Kikuchi signing would seem to block any chance he had of beginning the season in the rotation. It's not yet clear whether the Blue Jays intend to option Pearson down to Triple-A Buffalo and let him build up innings, or use him in the big-league bullpen in a multi-inning role.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Mon 3/14/22 12:25 AM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson (groin) will be treated as a starting pitcher this spring, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson worked mainly as a reliever last year and gained increased competition for a starting role when the Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday. However, the right-hander is still one of several pitchers who will be stretched out as starters ahead of the regular season. Pearson should be healthy to begin camp after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in early November, and the team was pleased with how he performed to close out the 2021 campaign.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Thu 11/4/21 9:58 AM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Thursday that Pearson recently underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. "He should be fine [for spring training] -- he should not be disrupted at all," Atkins said of Pearson. "We're excited about how he finished the year and excited about him building up again."
EDGE Analysis
Atkins hinted at the end of the season that an offseason procedure could be in the cards for Pearson, and the 25-year-old ultimately waited less than a month into the offseason to head in for surgery. The core-muscle injury cost Pearson significant time in 2021, with the hard-throwing righty first experiencing the issue in the spring before landing on the injured list again in June. Because of how the injury disrupted his buildup program, Pearson worked almost exclusively as a reliever for Toronto this past season, coming out of the bullpen in 11 of his 12 appearances while submitting a 4.20 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 15 innings. Toronto plans to have Pearson stretch back out for a starting role in spring, but he'll still be forced to compete for a spot in the club's Opening Day rotation.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Wed 10/6/21 2:58 PM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
General manager Ross Atkins said Wednesday that Pearson will be assessed this week to determine whether a procedure is required to address a sports hernia, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
EDGE Analysis
Pearson dealt with a groin injury in August but rejoined the major-league club for the final month of the season and felt strong to close out the year. The right-hander served mainly as a reliever in 2021, but Atkins said that the team still views him as a multi-inning pitcher. It's not yet clear whether he'll join the starting rotation in 2022, but Atkins also indicated that the Blue Jays will consider Pearson's health and workload when determining his role.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Sun 9/12/21 12:01 AM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson (1-1) allowed a hit and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings to earn the win in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader versus Baltimore.
EDGE Analysis
The 25-year-old worked the fifth and sixth innings of a game Baltimore was leading until the seventh when Toronto pulled ahead. That was enough to give Pearson his first win of the year in his fifth appearance. He's allowed seven runs (six earned) across 7.1 innings with a 7:7 K:BB, so it's safe to assume he'll remain in a multi-inning relief role going forward.
Nate Pearson RP CHC Wed 9/1/21 12:36 AM
Nate Pearson
RP CHC
Pearson (groin) will be recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
The 25-year-old was activated from the minor-league injured list in mid-August after recovering from the groin injury, and he gave up two runs on three hits with a 5:2 K:BB in five innings over five outings for Triple-A Buffalo. Pearson and Bryan Baker will be promoted from Buffalo to fill the two roster spots opening up with Wednesday's roster expansion. Pearson started in his lone appearance in the majors this year back in May, but he'll now operate as a bullpen piece.