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Varland's Record Relief Season!
13 Nov
Summary
- Louis Varland earned AL Reliever of the Year with 35 saves.
- His 1.27 ERA is the Blue Jays' lowest for pitchers with 50+ innings.
- Varland's season is compared to Blue Jays legends like Duane Ward and Tom Henke.
Louis Varland has earned the AL Reliever of the Year award for his exceptional 2026 campaign, marked by 35 saves and a mere 1.27 earned run average. This performance is being recognized as potentially the best relief season in Toronto Blue Jays franchise history. Varland's microscopic ERA is the lowest for any Blue Jays pitcher with 50 or more innings pitched.
His season draws comparisons to other notable Blue Jays relievers. Duane Ward had 45 saves in 1993, while Mark Eichhorn threw an impressive 157 innings in 1986. B.J. Ryan recorded 38 saves with a 1.37 ERA in 2006. Legendary closer Tom Henke, despite never having one season that combined all his best metrics, also remains a benchmark for elite relief performances in franchise history.
