Louis Varland may be the name that jumps out first when you look at the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen, but the reliever getting called on more than anyone else has been Mason Fluharty.
That’s the twist in Toronto’s relief story this season. Varland has been excellent and Tyler Rogers brought his own heavy workload after leading the league in appearances in 2025 with 81.
Still, neither of them has matched Fluharty’s sheer volume in 2026. Entering Monday, the 25-year-old had made 75 relief appearances, the most of any pitcher in baseball.
And he hasn’t just been out there a lot. Fluharty has delivered enough production to justify all that trust, going 6-1 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP while allowing 46 hits and striking out 62 batters in 57 innings. His strikeout rate sits at 25.7 percent.
Mason Fluharty’s 2026
75 Games (1st in all of baseball)
57 IP
3.32 ERA
2.83 xERA
.188 xBA against
25.7 K%
Homegrown stud. pic.twitter.com/ONhGkOlKey
- Nae 🧬 (@NaeNaeTakes) September 6, 2026
Blue Jays manager John Schnieder has clearly seen more than just dependable innings when he keeps turning to Fluharty.
One of the biggest reasons is how well Fluharty has handled left-handed hitters. This year, lefties have managed only a .155 average and a .434 OPS against him, with two home runs and 35 strikeouts in 116 at-bats. With veteran Brendon Little struggling early and Joe Mantiply missing extended time on the injured list, Toronto had to lean on Fluharty as its main left-handed option in the bullpen.
He answered that call and then some.
Fluharty has also proven useful in more than one role, not just as a lefty specialist. Schneider has used him as an opener four times this season, and he has added 15 holds along with one save.
Varland summed it up during the Blue Jays’ 2025 postseason run: “He’s (Fluharty) nasty. He doesn’t throw that hard, but it works.”
Fluharty isn’t the overpowering flamethrower people usually picture in the late innings, but he keeps getting the job done for Schneider and Toronto. That kind of reliability is exactly why he figures to stay central to the Blue Jays’ playoff push as they try to secure a wild card spot in the coming weeks.
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