Blue Jays cut veteran reliever Erik Swanson, who was key part of Teoscar Hernandez trade

The Toronto Blue Jays made several changes to their pitching staff Tuesday, placing starter Bowden Francis on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement and designating reliever Erik Swanson for assignment.

The team also selected left-hander Justin Bruihl to the major-league roster and recalled right-hander Paxton Schultz from triple-A Buffalo.

After a stellar second half of the 2024 season, Francis earned a rotation spot but has struggled this year. He posted a 2-8 record and 6.05 earned-run average over 14 starts.

The move to the IL was retroactive to last Sunday, the team said.

"He's been dealing with it for probably the last two or three starts but not enough to hold him out," said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. "I think just after [his last start] Sunday, we wanted to get some imaging done.

"There's nothing structurally wrong, just some inflammation in his shoulder. So hopefully we'll get that calmed down and get him back on track."

The team announced the moves a few hours before the start of a three-game series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Swanson, meanwhile, was 1-0 with a 15.19 ERA over six appearances this season.

He was a reliable high-leverage option for the Blue Jays in 2023 but his ERA rose to 5.03 last season from 2.97 a year earlier.

'Tough conversation'

Swanson dealt with a median nerve entrapment in training camp and experienced right forearm soreness in late April. Schneider said it was a "tough conversation" when he gave him the news.

"It kind of happens in the game when things aren't going your way," he said. "And he understands that part of it. It's still hard to move on from a guy like that that's meant a lot for you the last couple years."

Swanson went 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 45 games with Toronto in 2024, a challenging season that began with a young son being struck by a car during spring training. Swanson started the season on the injured list because of a sore forearm and was later demoted to triple-A, rejoining the Blue Jays in July.

He went 4-2 with four saves and a 2.97 ERA in 2023, his first with Toronto after being acquired from Seattle along with pitching prospect Adam Macko in a Nov. 16, 2022 trade that sent popular slugger Teoscar Hernandez to the Mariners.

Swanson will be eligible for free agency following the 2025 World Series.

There could be some relief on the way for the Toronto pitching staff.

Starter Max Scherzer (thumb), who has made just one appearance for the Blue Jays, was slated to throw 70-75 pitches on Wednesday for triple-A Buffalo, Schneider said.

Nick Sandlin (lat strain) was slated to throw for the Bisons on Tuesday night and fellow reliever Yimi Garcia (shoulder) planned to throw a live bullpen session Thursday at the team's development complex in Florida.