Despite not faring well in Spring Training, Brock Stewart earned the final spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2019 Opening Day bullpen. Manager Dave Roberts cited the length he could provide as what separated him from other candidates.
While the right-hander was included on the Dodgers’ initial roster, his stint at the Major League did not last very long. Stewart made only three appearances before being optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he would remain through the end of July.
With the Dodgers’ top Minor League affiliate, Stewart accumulated a 5-7 record, 7.34 ERA and 1.80 WHIP with 60 strikeouts against 40 walks in 76 innings pitched (17 games, 16 starts).
Those numbers represented a slight improvement to that of his work at the big league level. In three games with the Dodgers, Stewart pitched to an 18.00 ERA, 9.71 FIP and 2.75 WHIP over just four innings of work.
He was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31, ending his nine-year tenure with the organization. Stewart pitched in parts of four seasons with the Dodgers after being selected in the sixth round of the 2010 MLB Draft.
The then-27-year-old made his Blue Jays debut on Aug. 7 in what was a solid outing against the Tampa Bay Rays. Stewart would pitch in two more games for the club that month before receiving more run in September.
In 10 overall appearances for Toronto, Stewart compiled a 4-0 record, 8.31 ERA, 8.38 FIP and 1.57 WHIP with 16 strikeouts against six walks across 21.2 innings pitched.
2019 highlight
Stewart made a strong impression in his Blue Jays debut, logging four scoreless innings against the Rays. He allowed just five baserunners and struck out three batters on 64 pitches. Despite the strong effort, Toronto ultimately fell to Tampa Bay, 6-4.
2020 outlook
Stewart was outrighted by the Blue Jays on Oct. 31, removing him from their 40-man roster. He nevertheless remains under team control through the 2024 season and is not eligible for arbitration for another two years.
With that in mind, Stewart will likely continue serving as a depth piece for the Blue Jays. Given his ability to both start and relieve, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn another MLB opportunity at some point during the 2020 season.
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