It’s official: Jays sign Buchholz, DFA Dwight Smith

The Clay Buchholz deal is official. Dwight Smith Jr. get DFAed to make room.

Sunscreen Boy gets $3 million, plus incentives:

• $125,000 for each of 120 and 130 innings pitched.
• $250,000 for each of 140, 150, 160 and 170 innings pitched.
• $500,000 for each of 180 and 190 innings pitched.
• $50,000 for each of 50 and 55 relief appearances.
• $100,000 for each of 60, 65, 70 and 75 relief appearances.

He can make up to $2.75 million in incentives. All this according to Jon Heyman.

Dwight Smith Jr. pulls the short straw and will be in DFA limbo for the next few days. I figured it would be a pitcher who would end up losing his spot, since we had 21 on the roster. Smith has had 1 hit in 12 spring at bats. He is 26 now.

Last year he hit .268/.358/.413 with 6 home runs in 361 at bats in Buffalo, and roughly the same in 75 MLB at bats - .262/.347/.477 with 2 home runs.

Clay had a very good 2018 season, with a 2.01 ERA in 16 starts with the Diamondbacks. He did have a fair bit of luck with balls in play, a .255 BABIP and luck with runners on base, stranding 86.6%, but even without those things he should be ok.

If you had asked me which players I would never wanted on the Jays, Buchholz (I’m sure I’m going to spell that with a T after the L half the time) would have been near the top of the list. Cheering for him will be tough. And if they send Borucki to the minors and give Clay his starting rotation spot, I may develop a deep hate of Clay.

But I’ll try. Welcome to the team Clay. Now excuse me I have to buy some stock in companies that sell sunscreen.