Traded between dugouts! Domínguez dealt during DH, then debuts

BALTIMORE -- The Blue Jays have made their first bullpen splash, agreeing to a deal with the Orioles to acquire right-hander Seranthony Domínguez.

Domínguez only needed to walk across the field to join his new team prior to the second game of the day, which the Blue Jays dropped, 3-2, to extend their mini skid to four games. The news broke between games of the Blue Jays and Orioles’ doubleheader Tuesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The deal, which also included cash heading to Toronto, will send Minor League right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown, Toronto's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, to the Orioles.

TRADE DETAILS
Blue Jays get: RHP Seranthony Domínguez, cash
Orioles get: RHP Juaron Watts-Brown (TOR No. 10 prospect)

A few hours later, Domínguez was jogging in from a new bullpen to face the hitters he’d called teammates when he got to the stadium this morning. Domínguez gave his new team a scoreless inning, ending it with a strikeout of Jackson Holliday. Oh, how quickly things can change.

“It’s been kind of crazy. I woke up today and came to play for the Orioles,” Domínguez said. “After the first game, I was in there hanging out with the guys and they called me and told me I was traded, so I went to the [other] dugout. That’s something you’re not used to happening a lot, but I’m happy to be here and I’m so happy the Orioles gave me the opportunity. I’m so grateful to the Orioles because they gave me the opportunity to do what I love to do.”

His new manager was thrilled with the addition. Besides, calling Domínguez out of your own bullpen beats facing him.

“He’s been around and has really, really good stuff,” John Schneider said. “He can miss bats with a great fastball, great splitter and a good move to second base too, we found out. Moving forward, we’re excited to have him at the back end with the guys.”

The Blue Jays aren’t done, either. They remain heavily involved in talks surrounding Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, a source told MLB.com, and have cast a wide net at multiple levels of the relief market. The bullpen has long been the Blue Jays’ most obvious pathway to upgrading this roster, and after a tough few days on the road that included a 16-4 blowout loss in Game 1 Tuesday, that’s only become more obvious.

Domínguez is a rental, now in the final year of a three-year deal and making $8 million this season, and the Blue Jays know him well from seeing him in Baltimore since he was dealt from Philadelphia at last year’s Deadline. Now 30, Domínguez adds another flamethrower to this bullpen with a fastball that averages 97.8 mph and flirts with triple digits.

This season, Domínguez has posted a 3.24 ERA with the Orioles, and while his walks are up (5.2 BB/9), he’s struck out 54 batters in 41 2/3 innings (11.7 K/9). The Blue Jays needed at least one arm capable of dominating an inning, and Domínguez is exactly that.

“​​I think what people don’t know about Seranthony, he’s an incredible dude,” O’s interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “He’s a leader amongst the Latin players, the American players. It’s a really, really smart, intelligent baseball person. He watches baseball all night, every night. That’s all he does. He’s fair. He’s reasonable. He’s here for the team. Toronto, they struck gold on him. We’re going to really miss him.”

For years, the Blue Jays had trailed behind the rest of baseball in velocity and high-strikeout bullpen arms; however, they’ve done an excellent job of not just catching up, but leapfrogging most of the league. Domínguez should slide into a back-end role similar to the one that was occupied by Yimi García before he hit the IL with ankle and elbow injuries. Alongside closer Jeff Hoffman, lefty strikeout machine Brendon Little, 2025 breakout Braydon Fisher and setup man Yariel Rodríguez, the back end of the Blue Jays’ bullpen is taking shape, but they’re still aiming to add at least one more arm, with Helsley high on their list.

The bullpen shakeup continued with the 40-man roster countermove as the Blue Jays designated right-hander Chad Green for assignment. Just hours prior to the swap, Green was rocked again with two home runs, and he leads all MLB relievers with 14 homers allowed in 2025, so the move had grown inevitable even as the club worked to get the veteran right. Green was in the final year of his deal and making $10.5 million this season.

Going the other way is Watts-Brown, one of many pitching success stories in the Blue Jays’ system this year. This season has represented a major step forward for the third-rounder from 2023, who’s posted a 3.54 ERA with 115 strikeouts over 89 innings in High-A and Double-A thanks in large part to his excellent slider.

In a funny coincidence, Watts-Brown also only had to make the trek across the diamond to his new club. Double-A New Hampshire, with whom Watts-Brown was playing, is in the middle of a series with Double-A Chesapeake, the Orioles affiliate where he will likely be assigned.

Toronto’s farm system has supplied GM Ross Atkins and this front office with a real strength to deal from, which should continue to factor in as the Blue Jays work to complete more deals ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.