Minor league deals keep rolling in.

Per the Blue Jays Twitter account, the team has signed 32-year-old reliever Luke Bard to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

OFFICIAL: We’ve signed RHP Luke Bard to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training.
Additionally, we’ve invited internal non-roster C Jamie Richie to Spring Training. pic.twitter.com/fIuaONn3iy
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 11, 2023

Bard pitched in the majors in 2022 with both the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees, posting a 1.80 ERA and a 3.85 FIP in 15 innings pitched. For his career, he has a 4.44 ERA and a 5.05 FIP in 81 innings pitched, pitching with the Los Angeles Angeles in the early part of his career. 
Bard, who is the younger brother of the Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard, has never been one to register many strikeouts, as he had a 13.6 K% (and an 11.9 BB%) in the majors this past season. For his career, he has a 20.4 K% and a 7.5 BB%.

Opponents are 0-for-10 against Luke Bard’s curveball this season with four strikeouts.
Overall, in his 14 innings of work before he was DFA’d by the Rays, opposing hitters are slashing .152/.291/.217 against him. https://t.co/WS8KL6tdrl pic.twitter.com/j1e5w4kwCg
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) August 5, 2022

Interestingly, he posted a 28.7 K% in Triple-A with the Tampa Bay Ray affiliate in 24 innings pitched. While his FIP and ERA were elevated compared to his MLB numbers (he had a 4.29 ERA in 35.2 innings pitched in the minors in 2022), Bard is a good depth option.
There’s also room to improve, as his fastball sits at 94 mph. What’s more interesting is the fact that Bard is a big spi …

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Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation