The Toronto Blue Jays made a pair of roster moves Sunday that barely registered above a whisper. The club released left-hander Josh Fleming and right-handed pitcher Justin Topa from their minor league contracts, effectively cutting ties with two arms who never made it to the big league mound for Toronto this season.
The moves come as the Blue Jays are skidding. They got blanked 4-0 by the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, a series loss in what was supposed to be a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series. Toronto sits at 42-48, third in the AL East, and the season isn’t even halfway done.
Fleming’s Brief Run
Fleming signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays back in February. Before that, he’d been with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate but that stint wrapped up in 2025. In Toronto’s system, Fleming tossed 64 innings with a 3.08 ERA, started 12 games and walked only 4.1% of batters he faced. Solid numbers for a depth arm. But the Jays clearly didn’t see a path to bring him up to the majors.
Topa’s Comeback Falls Short
Topa had the tougher road. He’s already had two Tommy John surgeries in his career. He pitched in the big leagues for the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2020, had a short time with the Mariners in 2023 and spent the last three seasons with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins designated him for assignment in May, and the Blue Jays picked him up on a minor league deal May 30.
With Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, Topa threw eight innings, allowed a 3.38 ERA and struck out four. A decent showing for a guy battling back from multiple elbow reconstructions. But not enough to stick around.
The Blue Jays haven’t commented on the releases beyond confirming the transactions. Both Fleming and Topa are now free agents who can sign with any other organization.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still dealing with that back issue that kept him out of the All-Star Game. The Blue Jays haven’t given a firm timeline on his return.
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