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Royals sign recently released Blue Jays pitcher to minor league contract<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The Kansas City Royals<\/a> agreed to a minor league contract<\/a> with veteran right-handed pitcher Justin Topa<\/a> on Tuesday, according to MLB.com\u2019s transactions tracker. The 35-year-old reliever has been assigned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. The Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> released him from a minor league deal on Sunday.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Topa\u2019s latest move brings him back to the American League Central where he began the 2026 season with the Minnesota Twins<\/a>. During his time with Minnesota, Topa appeared in 23 games and finished with an 8.05 ERA across 19 innings. He recorded 12 strikeouts, while his 13% strikeout rate and 12% walk rate were both below average. His 54.4% ground-ball rate remained a positive part of his performance.<\/p>\n After being designated for assignment and released by the Twins in May, Topa signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays on May 30. He joined Triple-A Buffalo on June 3 and made eight appearances for the Bisons, compiling a 3.38 ERA over eight innings. During that stretch, he allowed four runs and racked up four strikeouts.<\/p>\n Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Topa previously experienced major league success with the Seattle Mariners<\/a> in 2023. In his age-32 season, he logged a 2.61 ERA over 69 innings, along with a 21.9% strikeout rate, a 6.5% walk rate and a 56.7% ground-ball rate. He was traded to Minnesota before the 2024 season, but a torn patellar tendon in his left knee limited him to only three appearances that year. In 2025, he returned to action and posted a 3.90 ERA in 60 innings, with an 18.3% strikeout rate, a 6.7% walk rate and a 47.7% ground-ball rate.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Kansas City<\/a> added Topa while dealing with pitching depth issues. The Royals have been without starters Cole Ragans<\/a> and Kris Bubic<\/a> for extended periods, and Ragans will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing UCL surgery. The bullpen has also been affected by the absences of Carlos Estevez<\/a>, James McArthur, Nick Mears<\/a> and Connor Seabold<\/a>.<\/p>\n Topa provides Kansas City with additional pitching depth without occupying a major league roster spot. The Royals could make further roster changes before the trade deadline.<\/p>\n