In a move that was made to help the player find a fit to continue his MLB career, the Blue Jays announced earlier today that they have outrighted outfielder Adam Loewen to the minors, a move that effectively makes him a minor league free agent.
While Loewen’s path back to the major leagues culminated with this season’s September call-up, the 27-year old pitching-to-offense convertee likely would have faced a tough time cracking the roster next season. The Jays have a number of options in the outfield, with Snider/Rasmus/Thames/Bautista, and it was unlikely that there would have been a fit for Loewen.
That was the explanation that Alex Anthopoulous gave regarding the move, and the fact that it happened this early in the off-season was to give Loewen as much time as possible to find a major league contract. This may well be just a temporary goodbye, after all, as the GM has said that there will be an AAA position waiting for Loewen, should he decide that he would like to rejoin the Blue Jays organization.
Loewen didn’t show much of a bat during his brief stint in the majors, hitting just .188 with 1 home run, but he did show good athleticism and raw power. Loewen’s was a great story to follow all season, as he wound up tearing it up AAA Las Vegas, putting together a solid .306/.377 season that included 17 homers. Having made his conversion from pitching just 3 years ago, Loewen may still be a little rough at the plate, but he does play multiple positions, and the the raw ability is there for him to perform as a 4th/5th OF on a major league club. Hopefully, he’ll find a chance to do so. If not, I’m sure Jays fans will be happy to have the Canadian back.
Also facing a similar situation today was Jesse Carlson. No surprises there, as the lefty had missed all of this past season due to injury, and was arbitration-eligible for the first time after spending the last four seasons with the Blue Jays. Like Loewen, there will also be a minor-league job for Carlson, should he decide so continue his career with the Jays.
Buy Toronto Blue Jays Tickets | Buy Toronto Blue Jays Apparel
