Happy Birthday Ken Giles

Ken Giles turns 33 today.

When the Blue Jays picked up Giles in the Roberto Osuna trade on July 30, 2018, he came with his baggage. We all saw the video of him hitting himself. The Astros had sent him to the minors when he had a poor start to the 2018 season.

Of course, Osuna had his issues that forced the Jays into making the trade, so we expected a discounted return. Along with Giles, the Astros sent David Paulino and Hector Perez.

Paulino pitched 6.2 innings for the Jays in 2018, and we released him in August 2019. He was in the Phillies system for a bit, but he has been out of baseball since the end of the 2021 season.

Perez got into one game with the Jays in 2020. Since then, he’s spent time in the Reds, Phillies, Orioles and Rays systems (he got one out for the Rays this season).

In his three years with the Jays, Giles had a 2.83 ERA with 38 saves (with just 1 blown save). His 38 saves put him 10th in Blue Jays history.

In 2019, he was injured at the trade deadline, which stopped the Jays from trying to trade him. And, of course, in 2020, he only got into four games before missing the rest of the season and then had Tommy John surgery in September.

The Mariners signed Ken to a two-year, $7 million contract before the 2021 season (with a team option for a third year). He pitched 4.1 innings for them in 2022 and was released at the end of the season. Since then, he’s thrown in the Giants and Dodgers (this year) systems.

In an 8-season MLB career, Giles has a 2.71 ERA in 362 games, with 115 saves.

When he was healthy, he was a lot of fun to watch. He was a sure thing in save situations. Throwing high 90s fastballs and a wicked slider, he might not have been 100 Miles Giles by the time he was with the Jays, but he still could blow a fastball by a hitter.

Happy Birthday, Ken.

Zack Pop turns 27 today.

Pop came to us in trade from the Marlins (along with Anthony Bass) for Jordan Groshans. Bass, as you know, was released earlier this season. As far as I know, he hasn’t been picked up by any MLB team.

Groshans was a prospect I liked a lot. He played 17 games for the Marlins this year, hitting .262/.308/.311. He’s currently playing for their Triple-A team, hitting .239/.329/.329 in 120 games.

Pop pitched in 7 games for the Jays last year, with a 1.89 ERA, and 15 this year (funny,

I have no memory of those games) with a 6.59 ERA,

He’s a Bison now, with a 5.51 ERA in 31 games. In 32.2 innings, he’s allowed 36 hits and 13 walks with 32 strikeouts. I think it is odds are long that Pop ever pitches for the Jays again.

Happy Birthday, Zack.

Mickey Klutts turns 70 today,

Mickey played 22 games for the Jays in 1983, his last season in the MLB, hitting .256/.289/.465 playing, mostly third base.

That was the end of an eight-year MLB. Most of his playing time was with the A’s. Career he played in 199 games, with a .241/.289/.371 batting line, 14 home runs, 34 walks and 101 strikeouts.

Happy Birthday, Mickey.