Blue Jays will give Moyer two minor league "tryout" starts
The Toronto Blue Jays should find out quickly how left-hander Jamie Moyer fits into their desperate pitching situation.
Moyer was signed to a minor league contract Monday and is expected to make two starts for Class AAA Las Vegas.
The Blue Jays will decide then whether to bring him to Toronto or let him try his luck elsewhere.
"There's no guarantees, but we want a two-start look and then determine, 'Is he an improvement in our rotation?'" Blue Jays manager John Farrell said.
Moyer, 49, began the season with the Colorado Rockies, for whom he was 2-5 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts before he was designated for assignment.
He signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on June 6 with the agreement that he would make three starts for Class AAA Norfolk and he would either be promoted or released.
After his third start, the Orioles offered Moyer another start with Norfolk, but he opted to become a free agent.
Moyer went 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings at Norfolk.
"We're very appreciative of him giving us that opportunity to look," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I wouldn't be surprised to see him pitch for somebody shortly. Personally, just out of respect for his career what he's done, I hope it happens."
Moyer, who missed all of last season because of Tommy John surgery, is 269-209 with a 4.25 ERA in 25 seasons in the majors.
The Blue Jays have lost Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison to injury in the past 2 1/2 weeks. Henderson Alvarez exited Monday's game due to elbow stiffness, but he's expected to make his next start on schedule.
Toronto got a sharp start Tuesday from Aaron Laffey, who threw six shutout innings at Boston. However, the bullpen was ineffective, and the Red Sox rallied for a 5-1 win.
