The Toronto Blue Jays have signed Dominican right-handed pitcher Julio Chivilli as part of their effort to strengthen their roster following a disappointing season. Chivilli was reported to have been signed on Saturday by X user @NWints30, known for tracking international free agent signings.
Chivilli, a hard-thrower capable of reaching speeds of 96 MPH, spent the previous season with the Miguelon Baseball Academy. While details about his complete pitching repertoire are not widely known, he participated in the WBSC Americas Beisbol Panam U-18 tournament earlier this year. During that tournament, he had a challenging outing, recording a 7.88 ERA over 5.1 innings across four games, where he allowed a total of six earned runs.
In addition to Chivilli, the Blue Jays have also secured left-handed pitcher Cheng-Hao Wu from Taiwan for $200,000. Wu, who throws a fastball reaching 93 MPH, also has a variety of pitches including a sinker, slider, and changeup, adding depth to the Blue Jays’ bullpen.
The Blue Jays are looking to rebound after failing to qualify for the playoffs in the 2026 season, which followed a previous appearance in the World Series. Team president Mark Shapiro noted the challenges faced during the recent season, stating, “It was a strange year, a tough year… which tested a lot of my personal philosophies.”
General Manager Ross Atkins expressed optimism for the future, believing that the lessons learned from the past season will benefit the team. “Baseball just punches you in the face — even when you’re really good — pretty regularly,” Atkins said. He indicated that the team would actively seek to enhance its pitching staff and acquire impactful hitters during the offseason.
As the Blue Jays prepare for the upcoming season, they aim to address their performance challenges and build a more competitive team going forward.
