Rookie Reliever Braydon Fisher Sets Up Toronto Blue Jays For Success

The Toronto Blue Jays have clinched a playoff spot and lead the AL East by two games over the New York Yankees. Unheralded rookie reliever Braydon Fisher is a big reason why Toronto has led the division since July 2.

“He’s come a long way,” manager John Schneider told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. “He’s earned everyone’s trust in a hurry. Mine. Pete (Walker, the pitching coach). Rest of the bullpen. Rest of the team. That’s all I can say. When you’re sitting here where we are, you’re going to need contributions like that. He’s been awesome.”

DETROIT: Toronto Blue Jays rookie Braydon Fisher pitches against the Detroit Tigers on July 26, 2025 at Comerica Park. (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Fisher has a 7-0 record, 5 holds, 1.75 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 48 relief outings. Over 46 2/3 innings out of the pen, he has allowed only 15 walks and 26 hits.

His work in holding an opponent has helped Toronto to 47 comeback wins. That leads MLB, one more than the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 25-year-old caught Schneider’s eye in spring training when he struck out seven over four brief relief outings. Sent to Triple-A Buffalo, Fisher kept impressing. In 14 outings, he fanned 22 and walked 5, going 1-0 with 2 saves and a 1.62 ERA.

Called up on May 7, Fisher was eased into his MLB debut four nights later by working the ninth inning of a 9-1 win over the Seattle Mariners. He allowed a single to the first man he faced, J.P. Crawford, then got slugger Julio Rodriguez to ground into a double play and Ben Williamson to ground out to end it.

Fisher was nearly unhittable in May, working seven straight scoreless outings to begin his MLB career in low-leverage situations. In 7 1/3 innings, he fanned 12 and allowed only 3 hits and 1 walk.

Then he had a horrific outing when used as a starter against the Athletics. Tyler Soderstrom hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Denzel Clarke a two-run shot with one out in the second. Nine batters faced, five runs, four hits and a walk. His ERA went from 0.00 to 4.66.

So much for starting.

Trade Was Unpopular

General Manager Ross Atkins has not been particularly popular with Blue Jays fans who expected the talent assembled to get to the playoffs the past several years. When he acquired Fisher on June 12, 2024, from the Los Angeles Dodgers, keyboard jockeys on social media were howling.

That’s because infielder Cavan Biggio was sent west in the deal after five popular yet underachieving seasons in Toronto. Biggio, the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, was a name. Fisher was basically unknown.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2018 out of high school in Texas, Fisher got $497,500 to sign with the Dodgers as the 134th pick overall.

In 2010, another 134th pick was dealt as a minor-leaguer by the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Indians — where Atkins was director of player development. This isn’t to say Fisher will match that pitcher. It does point to a great success story.

After all, Corey Kluber won two Cy Young Awards and pitched a no-hitter. He won 18 or more games four times for Cleveland and compiled a 116-77 career record over 13 years.

Ups And Downs

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Fisher was picked as a starter and had a nice debut at age 17 in the Arizona Rookie League in 2018, compiling a 2.05 ERA. He was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Dodgers’ 23rd-best prospect.

Scouts liked his 96-mph fastball, developing slider, and thought Fisher had promise to rise quickly. Instead, he hurt his arm in spring training and missed all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He didn’t pitch in 2020 either, when the minors were shut down by Covid-19.

When he came back in 2021, Fisher was hit hard and moved to relief. He had a 6.56 ERA for the season at Low-A ball. His ERA remained high in 2022, but his slider improved greatly. The bad ones got hit hard. When it snapped, he missed bats, allowing just 35 hits and fanning 70 over 72 2/3 innings.

It was more of a mixed bag in 2023 and 2024. He progressed at his first stop in the Blue Jays’ system last summer, New Hampshire. In 14 games, he struck out 26 over 14 innings for the Fisher Cats, who had that nickname even before Fisher became their top cat out of the bullpen.

“We always have loved his stuff, especially the breaking ball,” Schneider told Keegan Matheson of MLB.com early this season. “He’s been really damn good.”

Fisher’s Future For Toronto Blue Jays

Fisher figures to play a key role in the playoffs. He and fellow rookie Mason Fluharty along with 28-year-old veterans Yariel Rodriguez and Brendon Little allow Schneider to mix and match on the way to getting closer Jeff Hoffman to finish a game. Fisher and Rodriguez are right-handers, Little and Fluharty lefties.

Fisher has earned more work in crucial situations. He entered a bases-loaded jam in Baltimore at the end of July and got two strikeouts to snuff out the threat.

In eight outings this month, he has a 3-0 record and 0.96 ERA. The wins came in consecutive outings against the Orioles on Sept. 12-13 and Sept. 15 at Tampa Bay. He was most impressive against the Rays, fanning four over two innings – both starting with a runner already on second base in extra innings.

After George Springer singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th, Fisher had to escape a bottom-half jam. It was time to break out the 96-mph fastball at the top of the zone and sharp-breaking slider.

The Rays put speedy Chandler Simpson (43 stolen bases as a rookie) on second. He got only to third base when Yandy Diaz beat out a roller for an infield single. The heart of the Rays’ order, Brandon Lowe, Junior Caminero and Josh Lowe were next. The trio has a combined 85 homers and 229 RBI.

Fisher fanned all three.