Today is Doyle Alexander’s 76th birthday, and his Blue Jays years still read like a sharp little chapter in franchise history.
Toronto got him on June 21, 1983, about a month after the Yankees cut him loose. The move came after a rough stretch in New York, where Alexander had gone 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games, following a previous season in which he posted a 1-7 mark and a 6.08 ERA in 16 starts. The Jays took the chance, and Alexander rewarded them by stabilizing the rotation over four seasons - two full years and two partial ones - with a 46-26 record and a 3.56 ERA in 106 games, 103 of them starts.
His first run in Toronto was solid enough, going 7-8 with a 3.93 ERA in 17 games. The club was 1.5 games out of first when he arrived and stayed in the hunt until a bad August knocked them back. The Jays finished fourth, nine games behind.
Then came 1984, the best season of Alexander’s career. He went 17-6 with a 3.13 ERA in 36 games and worked 11 complete games.
He even picked up some MVP votes. The strikeout total wasn’t flashy - 139 in 261.2 innings - but he kept getting outs when it mattered.
The following year, Alexander was again central to a milestone season. Toronto reached the playoffs for the first time in 1985, and he finished 17-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 36 starts.
He struck out 142 batters in 260 innings, and the defense behind him helped carry the load. The Jays’ run ended in the ALCS against the Royals, and Alexander had a rough postseason, putting up an 8.71 ERA in two starts.
Midway through 1986, Toronto sent him to the Braves for Duane Ward, a trade that worked out well for the Jays. A year later, Atlanta flipped Alexander to the Tigers for John Smoltz, which ended up being an even bigger win for the Braves.
Alexander later came back to haunt Toronto in 1987, when the Tigers beat out the Jays for the AL East title. He started two games during Toronto’s seven-game season-ending skid, including one outing in which he worked 10.2 innings and got no decision.
That one still stings.
Alexander’s career closed with a 194-174 record and a 3.74 ERA. He wasn’t a power arm; he leaned on pitch variety and different arm angles.
He also spent time with eight teams overall. He didn’t seem especially warm or cheerful from the outside, though that may not have been the same story inside a clubhouse.
And despite the length of his career, he got no Hall of Fame votes when he appeared on the ballot.
Also celebrating birthdays today are Brian Simmons, who turns 53, and Matt DeWitt, who turns 49. Their names are tied to the Mike Sirotka trade, the January 2001 deal that sent DeWitt and David Wells to the White Sox for Simmons, Kevin Beirne, and Sirotka. In practical terms, Wells and Sirotka were the headliners.
Sirotka never threw a pitch for Toronto because he arrived injured, which is why physicals matter the way they do now. Bud Selig, then the commissioner and a friend of White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, made sure Toronto received no compensation. Wells, for his part, struggled in Chicago.
DeWitt pitched in 24 games for the Jays between 2000 and 2001, then appeared five more times for the White Sox in 2002, ending his big league career. After 2002, he was traded back to Toronto for Mike Williams, another player tied to the Sirotka deal, but neither made it back to the majors.
Simmons, a utility outfielder, had played 55 games for the White Sox in 1999 but didn’t reach the majors until he joined the Jays. In 2001, he played 60 games for Toronto and hit .176/.239/.280. The White Sox claimed him off waivers after the season, and though he moved around after that, he never returned to the majors.
Erik Swanson turns 33 today as well. He and Adam Macko came to Toronto in the trade that sent Teoscar Hernandez to the Mariners.
Swanson was a key bullpen piece in 2023, posting 29 holds in 69 appearances with a 2.97 ERA. His 2024 season was rougher, as he finished with a 5.03 ERA in 45 games and opponents hit .235/.304/.516.
This year got off to an even worse start, with a 15.19 ERA over 5.1 innings, and he was released in June.
Andrés Giménez also celebrates his 28th birthday today. In his second season with the Jays, he has played in 232 games and hit .228/.287/.336 with 15 home runs.
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The dispute has only grown louder because a community note and an AI expert both pointed to signs that the clip may have been generated with AI tools. The Blue Jays have been contacted for further comment, leaving the episode hanging over a fan base that is already looking closely at how the team presents itself online. [Read more 🡒]