The Toronto Blue Jays are making critical adjustments to their bullpen as they prepare for the series finale against the Chicago team on Sunday. In a move aimed at revitalizing their pitching staff, the Blue Jays have optioned relievers Brendon Little and Lazaro Estrada to triple-A Buffalo.

The announcements regarding these changes were confirmed by the Blue Jays, who also indicated that Joe Mantiply and Austin Voth would be brought onto the major-league roster in their stead. To facilitate this transition, the team made room on the 40-man roster by transferring Cody Ponce and Anthony Santander to the 60-day injured list.

This decision comes after a rough performance from Brendon Little in the current season, where he has struggled significantly. In 2026, Little has allowed a staggering 10 earned runs in just 3.2 innings, resulting in two losses. His recent outing on Saturday was particularly concerning, as he surrendered three earned runs, including two home runs to left-handed hitters, which cost the Blue Jays a crucial lead.

The 29-year-old Little is now set to return to triple-A, where he will aim to recapture the success he experienced in the first half of 2025. During that period, he demonstrated impressive control and effectiveness, striking out 65 batters in 44.1 innings and maintaining a notable 2.03 ERA.

Lazaro Estrada, another pitcher affected by these changes, will also head back to Buffalo after a mixed performance. The 26-year-old had made a brief recall to the major league following Cody Ponce’s injury earlier in the week, where he hoped to provide some much-needed bulk innings in relief. However, after throwing 66 pitches in four hitless innings on Saturday, the Blue Jays have opted for fresh arms as they navigate future games.

Joe Mantiply and Austin Voth, the new pitchers added to the roster, bring a wealth of experience with them. Both players joined the Blue Jays earlier this spring after inking minor-league contracts with the organization. Mantiply, a 35-year-old left-handed pitcher, was previously released by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025 after posting a challenging season where he allowed 17 earned runs in just 9.2 innings. However, Mantiply was an all-star in 2022 and transitioned to Toronto later that season, finishing with a respectable 3.45 ERA over 15.2 innings in triple-A competition.

In the current season, Mantiply has shown promise, having allowed only one earned run in 3.2 innings while striking out three batters and walking none during his appearances with the AAA Bisons. This performance suggests that he might be a valuable asset for the Blue Jays as they seek to stabilize their bullpen.

On the other hand, Austin Voth has had a more distant presence in major league baseball. His last appearance in the majors was in 2024 while playing for the Seattle Mariners, and he took a different path in 2025, competing in Nippon Professional Baseball. In 2026, Voth has made just one appearance in triple-A, where he allowed two earned runs over three innings of work.

As the Toronto Blue Jays make these strategic changes to their bullpen, the team is looking forward to improving their performance. With the addition of veteran pitchers Mantiply and Voth, the Blue Jays hope to leverage their experience and skills to address the current challenges faced by their pitching staff.