ERIK SWANSON NEWS

Returns from IL The Blue Jays activated Swanson (back) from the 15-day injured list Monday.

Impact As anticipated, Swanson will rejoin the Toronto bullpen after a minimum-length stay on the shelf while he recovered from thoracic spine inflammation. Swanson delivered a perfect inning of relief in his lone rehab appearance at Triple-A Buffalo over the weekend and should be ready to step back into a key setup role in front of closer Jordan Romano.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Set for IL return Monday Swanson (back) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact Swanson spun a scoreless frame in his lone rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo and looks ready to return following a minimum-length stay on the IL with thoracic spine inflammation. He'll likely return to a setup role once Toronto activates him ahead of its four-game set with the Rangers that begins Monday.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Making rehab appearance Saturday Swanson (back) will pitch in a game for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Impact Saturday will likely be the only rehab appearance Swanson makes in the minors, and he remains on track to return from the injured list when eligible Monday. The 30-year-old righty allowed just one run over 9.1 frames after the beginning of August before landing on the IL on Aug. 27.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Slated for mound work Swanson (back) will throw off a mound Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact It will be his first time throwing from the bump since he went down with thoracic spine inflammation in late August. Swanson is eligible for activation on Sept. 11 and should be able to return then, barring any setbacks.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Could be in line for brief IL stint The Blue Jays are optimistic that Swanson (spine) will be in store for an abbreviated stay on the 15-day injured list, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Impact Swanson landed on the IL on Sunday with thoracic spine inflammation, an injury that cropped up a day earlier in his relief appearance against the Guardians. While Swanson may still face an uphill battle to be ready to return from the IL when first eligible Sept. 11, the Blue Jays expect that he'll be cleared to start throwing again following a 10-day shutdown period. A precise target date for his return would then be established based on how his spine responds after he gradually ramps up the intensity of his throwing.

AUGUST 28, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Blue Jays place RHP Erik Swanson on 15-day IL The Toronto Blue Jays placed reliever Erik Swanson on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to thoracic spine inflammation.

AUGUST 27, 2023 • DEADSPIN.COM

Blue Jays Place Erik Swanson On Injured List Swanson will be out at least 15 days with thoracic spine inflammation, the Blue Jays announced Sunday.

AUGUST 27, 2023 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Hits IL with spine inflammation Swanson was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with thoracic spine inflammation.

Impact Swanson left early in his relief appearance in Saturday's game against Cleveland with what the Blue Jays initially labeled as right mid-back discomfort, but the right-hander later underwent an MRI that revealed a more precise diagnosis, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. The Blue Jays called up right-hander Jay Jackson from Triple-A Buffalo to take over the active roster spot of Swanson, who had picked up three wins, four saves and 28 holds to go with a 3.10 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 67:19 K:BB across 58 innings this season.

AUGUST 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Swanson exits with back injury | 08/26/2023 Erik Swanson exits the game with right mid-back discomfort in the top of the 7th inning

AUGUST 26, 2023 • MLB.COM

Exits with back discomfort Swanson exited Saturday's game against Cleveland with right mid-back discomfort.

Impact Swanson faced just two batters before suffering the injury, recording one out and allowing one hit. He's been a key part of the bridge to Jordan Romano this season, recording a 3.10 ERA in 58 innings, so the Blue Jays won't want to be without him for an extended period.

AUGUST 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Swanson fans Cedric Mullins | 08/22/2023 Erik Swanson gets Cedric Mullins to go down swinging to pick up his third strikeout of the 8th inning

AUGUST 23, 2023 • MLB.COM

Shaky in fourth save Swanson gave up a run on three hits in two-thirds of an inning Saturday to record his fourth save of the season in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox.

Impact Tim Mayza worked the eighth inning without much trouble and retired the first batter in the ninth, but Swanson proceeded to give up three straight singles after he entered the game and only escaped blowing the save when Connor Wong's high fly to left-center field came up inches short of being a walkoff hit off the Green Monster, and instead led to Reese McGuire getting doubled off second base. Swanson has gone 2-for-2 in converting save chances since Jordan Romano (back) landed on the IL, but Jordan Hicks -- who had pitched three of the prior four days -- appears to be first in line to handle closing duties until Romano returns.

AUGUST 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nails down third save Swanson gave up a hit and struck out two in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his third save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Orioles.

Impact Jordan Hicks worked the eighth inning against Baltimore's 2-3-4 hitters, suggesting that the recent trade acquisition is viewed as the top high-leverage option by manager John Schneider, but Swanson and Yimi Garcia -- who struck out one in a perfect seventh frame -- are also in the late-inning mix and all three could see save chances while Jordan Romano (back) is sidelined. For his part, Swanson's been scored upon only once in his last 10 appearances, and on the season he sports a 3.44 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 57:18 K:BB through 49.2 innings with two wins and an MLB-leading 26 holds in addition to his saves.

AUGUST 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Swanson picks off Westburg | 08/02/2023 Erik Swanson picks off Jordan Westburg in the 9th inning to seal the Blue Jays' 4-1 win

AUGUST 3, 2023 • MLB.COM

Candidate for saves Swanson is considered one of the top candidates to get saves while Jordan Romano (back) is on the 15-day injured list, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

Impact Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza were also mentioned by McGrath as candidates to work in a closer-by-committee situation in the short term, and the Jays could also look to acquire a high-leverage reliever via trade. Swanson has eight career saves and five in the last two seasons. He has a 3.51 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 48.2 innings.

JULY 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Notches one-out save Swanson picked up his second save of the season Sunday, giving up a hit before recording the final out of a 7-5 win over Arizona.

Impact The Blue Jays took a 7-2 lead into the ninth inning, but Mitch White made a mess of things by walking the bases loaded with two outs, forcing Swanson into the game as Jordan Romano (back) was unavailable. The right-hander did serve up a bases-clearing double to Ketel Marte before closing out the win, but all the runs were charged to White. Swanson has seen his numbers erode over the last month or so, and he carries a 4.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 9:2 K:BB in his last 12.1 innings. He remains in Toronto's high-leverage mix and has six holds over that stretch in addition to Sunday's save, but Yimi Garcia may be the more trusted arm from the right side at the moment.

JULY 17, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Corrals first save Swanson picked up the save Saturday against the Mets. He allowed one hit while striking out one over a scoreless inning.

Impact Swanson received his first save opportunity of 2023 and came through with a scoreless inning to earn his first save of the campaign. Though Swanson is used as a setup man and has excelled in that role, he was handed the ball in the ninth with Jordan Romano resting after pitching back-to-back days. Through 27 appearances (27.2 innings), Swanson owns a 2.93 ERA with 34 strikeouts but will likely only enter the fantasy conversation if Romano misses significant time.

JUNE 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Swanson shuts the door | 06/03/2023 The Official Site of Major League Baseball

JUNE 4, 2023 • MLB.COM

Stuck with loss Tuesday Swanson (1-1) took the loss against the Red Sox on Tuesday, striking out one and allowing a solo home run in the eighth inning.

Impact Connor Wong lofted the fourth pitch Swanson threw over the Green Monster for what proved to be the game-winning run. The long ball snapped an eight-appearance scoreless streak for the right-hander, and overall the former Mariner has been exactly as advertised in a setup role for the Blue Jays, posting a 1.84 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 20:6 K:BB through 14.2 innings with eight holds. Should Jordan Romano be unavailable at some point, Swanson seems the most likely candidate to step in and handle ninth-inning duties.

MAY 3, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Extends scoreless streak Swanson issued one walk and struck out three over a scoreless inning of relief en route to claiming his first win of the season in Saturday's 1-0 win over the Mariners.

Impact Though the Blue Jays forked over outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to bring back Swanson and lefty pitching prospect Adam Macko from Seattle over the offseason, the veteran reliever has been well worth the acquisition price thus far. He now has yet to allow a run over his last eight appearances, collecting a win and five holds to go with a 0.60 WHIP and 14 strikeouts across 8.1 innings during that stretch.

APRIL 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Notches second hold Swanson struck out one in a perfect eighth inning to record his second hold of the season in Wednesday's win over the Royals.

Impact The former Mariner is showing his 2022 breakout was no fluke, posting a 4:1 K:BB through his first 3.1 innings with the Blue Jays. Swanson joins Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza as the main late-inning options ahead of closer Jordan Romano, and he should easily top last year's career high of 14 holds in that role.

APRIL 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Sees little work late in spring Swanson has a 4.05 ERA and 4:2 K:BB through 6.2 innings over seven appearances this spring.

Impact Curiously, the right-hander has appeared in only one Grapefruit League game since March 17, but there's been no indication from the Blue Jays he's battling an injury and he's presumably been getting his work in during minor-league contests. Swanson came over from Seattle this winter in the Teoscar Hernandez trade, and after posting a 1.68 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 70:10 K:BB and career-high 14 holds in 57 appearances for the M's, he's expected to be one of Toronto's main set-up men ahead of closer Jordan Romano.

MARCH 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Opinion | Jays reliever Erik Swanson needed his splitter to put everything together The left-hander’s “fastball-splitter combo is one of the best,” bullpen mate Romano says.

MARCH 26, 2023 • THESTAR.COM

New guy Erik Swanson goes way back with Blue Jays young stars "Every time he would go against us, everyone would be like ‘Damn, it’s that Swanson kid again.”

FEBRUARY 20, 2023 • TORONTOSUN.COM

Mariners boost offense, trade for outfielder Teoscar Hernández

The Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Teoscar Hernández from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for two pitchers on Wednesday.

NOVEMBER 16, 2022 • FOX SPORTS