He started the year as a closer in waiting and ended it as an award winner.
And in a season of overall struggle for the Blue Jays, Louis Varland was one of the forces that kept the team in contention until September.
asserted
that → start → September
For that, the hard-throwing was named the inaugural winner of the American League reliever of the year on Wednesday night.
asserted
throwing → throw → night
“It’s a pretty special moment,” after learning of his win in which he topped all AL relievers in voting conducted by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
asserted
he → ’ → America
“All the hard work paid off and I caught some breaks.”
asserted
I → pay → breaks
He caught more than that, obviously.
asserted
He → catch → that
“It all starts with strike one,” Varland said on a conference call from Las Vegas, where the MLB awards were taking place.
asserted
awards → start → place
“Other than that, it’s having a positive mindset.
asserted
it → have → mindset
As I’m running out there, it’s being optimistic and a lot of self-talk.
asserted
it → run → talk
That helps me have success, I think.
asserted
I → help → success
“It’s just flipping that switch and believing you can do it.”
asserted
you → flip → it
The more Varland was placed into the highest-leverage situations, the more he thrived.
asserted
he → place → situations
So when Jeff Hoffman faltered early in the season, for Jays manager John Schneider, the obvious choice as the team’s new closer was Varland.
asserted
choice → falter → closer
Varland certainly had that and then some as his bulldog mentality was in evidence whenever he got the call.
asserted
he → have → call
And as the Toronto starting rotation battled injury and other struggles the bullpen, headed by Varland’s prowess, became the true strength of the pitching staff.
asserted
bullpen → battle → staff
“It’s easier to get three outs than 21,” Varland said when asked about the mindset that helped him attack the closer’s role.
asserted
him → ’ → role
“Over time, I learned to do that better and better.”
asserted
I → learn → that
Even with a late start in the closer’s role, the 28-year-old piled up 35 saves for the Jays in 2026 with a 1.27 ERA that was the lowest of the three finalists.
asserted
that → pile → finalists
In what figured to be a tight race in the first year the reliever category was up for an award, Varland edged the Cleveland Guardians’ Cade Smith and Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker.
asserted
Varland → figure → Smith
Varland collected 16 first-place votes followed by seven from Smith and six from Baker.
asserted
Varland → collect → Baker
More on Varland’s year
It was a massive 2026 all around for Varland, who made his first all-star game appearance after showing immediate dominance once he became a closer.
asserted
he → make → dominance
With 97 strikeouts over 78 innings, his shut-down ability easily eclipsed his immediate predecessors in the role — Hoffman and Jordan Romano.
asserted
ability → shut → role
“He just wants to pitch every single day, which is remarkable,” was how manager Schneider described Varland late in the season.
asserted
Schneider → want → season
The key from Varland’s perspective is to avoid getting too high or too low when called upon to lock down a game.
asserted
key → avoid → game
“I treat it all the same,” Varland said on the final day of the season.
asserted
Varland → treat → season
“If (the closer assignment) suits my personality, it’s a matter of opinion.
asserted
it → suit → opinion
It’s fun, though, closing out the game and securing the win.”
asserted
It → ’ → win
The reliever category is the first new award added since 1983 to reflect the growing prominence of bullpen usage in the game.
asserted
category → add → game
And as the inaugural winner, Varland was ready to celebrate.
asserted
Varland → celebrate → winner
“Just trying to enjoy the moment with all my peers and my wife and we’ll see where the night takes us.
asserted
night → try → us
Who knows, I might end up at a blackjack table.
uncertain
I → know → table
We’ll see.
asserted
We → see → ?
No Cy Young for Dylan Cease
As expected, New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler captured the American League Cy Young Award while his Jays counterpart, Dylan Cease, finished second in the voting.
asserted
counterpart → expect → voting
For much of the summer, the two were considered neck-and-neck for the award, but after an injury sidelined Cease and his velocity dipped late in the season, Schlittler assumed control.
asserted
Schlittler → consider → control
Schlittler was the unanimous winner, getting all 30 first-place votes while Cease was the clear second, appearing in that slot on 22 ballots.
asserted
Cease → get → ballots
The Aporia
