Rudy Martin Jr. Is Here, and That Tells You Something About Where Toronto Stands

The Blue Jays called up Rudy Martin Jr. this week — 30 years old, a dozen years in the minors, never a cup of coffee at the big-league level until now. It is the kind of transaction that doesn't need much editorializing. The roster does the talking.

Toronto is carrying 13 players on the injured list right now. Starters, relievers, regulars — the list cuts across the whole roster. Berrios, Corbin, and Francis are all on the 60-day. Bieber and Taillon are on the 15-day. Yesavage, who had been one of the more reliable arms in the rotation before going down, is out too. That's a lot of depth to burn through before you get to a 30-year-old outfielder making his debut in a pennant race.

The Jays are 69-73, one game behind the last wild card with 20 to play. They've been playing better ball lately — 18-12 over the last 30 games — and the pitching has genuinely tightened up in recent weeks. Dylan Cease has been as good as advertised all year. There are real things to like. But Martin's callup is a reminder of how thin the margin for error has gotten when the depth chart runs this far down the org.

Twenty games left. One game back. The Jays need bodies who can play, and right now Rudy Martin Jr. is one of them.