Former M’s closer Paul Sewald lands back in AL on waiver claim

Former Seattle Mariners closer Paul Sewald has quickly landed with a new team.

Sewald was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, just two days after he was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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The 36-year-old right-hander had been enjoying a resurgent season after returning to Arizona in free agency. Through June 14, he had a 3.08 ERA with 17 saves in 18 chances. But he struggled in 16 appearances after where he logged a rough 12.79 ERA, though he still converted seven of nine save opportunities over that stretch. He was cut loose by Arizona not long after being removed from the team’s closer role.

“It was a brutal decision,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday, according to Arizona Sports. “He’s meant so much to this organization. … He’s just such a great competitor and was having so much success. And on top of that, he’s a friend of all of us. He’s just a good person.

“To say goodbye to him was not easy. It was agonizing.”

Sewald, who has a 6.23 ERA and 1.10 WHIP this year, is tied for ninth in MLB with 24 saves but has also allowed 12 home runs, tied for the most by a relief pitcher.

The Blue Jays plan to be strategic with their usage of Sewald, who is expected to join the team in time for its home series against the New York Yankees that begins Friday.

“When you’re closing, you’re kind of just pitching against whoever,” Toronto manager John Schneider said, per MLB.com. “I think we can probably find some better spots for him. … It’s just been a weird year for (Sewald) keeping the ball in the park, so we’re going to try to tighten up some matchups for him.”

A 10th-round MLB Draft pick by the New York Mets in 2012, Sewald was an under the radar signing by the Mariners in 2021 who quickly rose to a prominent role in a stellar Seattle bullpen after being called up as a 30 year old from Triple-A Tacoma on the same day as top prospects Logan Gilbert and Jarred Kelenic.

In three seasons with the Mariners, Sewald had a 2.88 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 52 saves and 24 holds over 172 appearances. Using a sweeper and fastball combination from his lowered arm slot, he racked up 236 strikeouts for the M’s.

The Mariners dealt Sewald to Arizona in a 2023 trade deadline move that brought outfielder Dominic Canzone and infielders Ryan Bliss and Josh Rojas to Seattle.

In addition to his time with Seattle (2021-23) and Arizona (2023-24, 2026), Sewald has pitched in the big leagues for the Mets (2017-20), Cleveland Guardians (2025) and Detroit Tigers (2025).

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