Former Alabama pitcher Spencer Turnbull is on his way back to the big leagues after signing a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, the American League team announced on Monday.
The Blue Jays assigned Turnbull to their Florida Complex League team in Dunedin, Florida, to start his ramp up toward his 2025 MLB debut. Turnbull signed a one-year contract. Monetary terms were not disclosed.
The right-hander hasn’t pitched in a game since being sidelined by a latissimus dorsi injury on June 26.
With a 16-18 record entering Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto ranks 12th among the American League’s 15 teams in earned-run average at 4.24.
Pitchers Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis have started seven games apiece for the Blue Jays in 2025. Easton Lucas has four starts, and Yariel Rodriguez and Max Scherzer have one apiece.
An eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer has not pitched since the third game of the season and went on the 60-day disabled list to clear a spot for Turnbull on Toronto’s 40-man roster.
Turnbull pitched a no-hitter for the Detroit Tigers on May 18, 2021. But he left his start on June 4, 2021, because of forearm soreness in his pitching arm. Damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow sent him to Tommy John surgery, and Turnbull missed the 2022 season.
During his return in 2023, Turnbull dealt with neck problems and a cracked toenail. He made seven starts for the Tigers and posted a 1-4 record with a 7.26 earned-run average in 31 innings. Turnbull made two trips to the minors during the season and made eight more starts there.
Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024, Turnbull had a 2-0 record with a 1.67 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 32.1 innings in six April starts in place of injured regular Tiajuan Walker. He made 10 relief outings before his next start. Back in the rotation after an injury to Ranger Suarez, Turnbull was injured in his first outing and did not play again in 2024.
In his MLB career, Turnbull has a 15-29 record in 78 games, including 67 starts. He has a 4.26 ERA with 338 strikeouts in 356.2 innings.
In two seasons at Alabama, Turnbull had a 9-10 record with a 2.95 earned-run average in 30 starts. In 183.1 innings, he struck out 112 and yielded 153 hits and 85 walks. Turnbull left the Crimson Tide after the Tigers chose him in the second round of the 2014 draft.
