Norris was released by the Phillies on Thursday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.
Norris failed to earn a spot in the Phillies' bullpen after joining the team in January as a non-roster invitee. The veteran reliever didn't pitch last season due to forearm issues but posted a 3.59 ERA and 67:21 K:BB in 57.2 innings with the Cardinals in 2018.
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Phillies' Bud Norris: Included in player pool
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Norris will be part of the Phillies' 60-man player pool this season.
Norris joined the Phillies as a non-roster invitee back in January, hoping to prove his health and return to the big leagues after missing the 2019 season due to forearm issues. He isn't on the team's 40-man roster but could still play a role at some point, though it's unlikely to be a major one.
Phillies' Bud Norris: Signs minors deal with Phillies
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Norris joined the Phillies on a minor-league deal Tuesday, freelance baseball writer Robert Murray reports.
Norris converted to relief in 2017 and saved 47 games over the next two seasons. He didn't throw a pitch in 2019, though, as he was released by the Blue Jays in early April while battling forearm issues and never signed another deal. That's not a good sign regarding Norris' health heading into his age-35 season, but the signing is nevertheless a low-risk move by the Phillies.
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Bud Norris: Won't join Nationals
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Norris' (forearm) ongoing contract negotiations with the Nationals have fallen apart and the team has turned its attention to other relievers, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
After receiving his release from the Blue Jays earlier this month, Norris looked to be an ideal fit for a Nationals squad lacking in reliable setup options ahead of closer Sean Doolittle. Norris' representatives appeared to come to terms with Washington on a deal two days earlier, but the Nationals weren't satisfied with the reports they received regarding the right-hander's forearm injury. According to Heyman, Washington felt Norris was 4-to-5 weeks away from being ready to contribute at the major-league level, so the 34-year-old could linger on the open market for a while longer until he approaches full health.
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Bud Norris: Nationals deal not yet finalized
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Norris (forearm) and the Nationals do not yet have a deal, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
There were reports earlier in the day that the two sides had an agreement, pending a physical, but recent reports suggest the two sides aren't quite at that point. The hang-up appears to be over Norris' health, as he battled forearm soreness during camp. The delay may mean that Norris is still not close to being ready for game action.
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Nationals' Bud Norris: Reaches deal with Nationals
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Norris (forearm) agreed to a minor-league deal with the Nationals on Tuesday, pending a physical, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.
Norris had been in camp with the Blue Jays but battled some forearm soreness and reduced velocity. He was released in early April. It's unclear how much time he'll need in the minors to build up his arm strength (or recover from the forearm issue, if it's still a problem). The Nationals could certainly use all the help they can get in their bullpen, as their unit has recorded a 10.17 ERA so far this season.
Norris (forearm) was released from his minor-league deal with the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris has been battling forearm soreness since March 21 and has no timetable for his return, so the Blue Jays opted to part ways with the veteran right-hander. The 34-year-old threw only three innings during spring training and was exhibiting decreased velocity.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Remains without timetable
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Norris has no timetable to return from forearm soreness, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
Norris remains on a minor-league contract, so he hasn't been placed on the injured list, meaning he could theoretically join the roster at any point. That point doesn't appear to be imminent, however, in part because his velocity has been sitting around 90-91 mph rather than the mid-90s heat he's typically capable of. That could simply be caused by his late arrival at camp, though when combined with an arm injury, there could be reason to be concerned.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Misses out on roster
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Norris (forearm) isn't included on the Blue Jays' roster ahead of their season opener Thursday against the Tigers, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Norris remains with the organization as a non-roster player and should be in good shape to have his contract selected once he gets past the bout of forearm fatigue he experienced late in spring training. The right-hander was able to complete a bullpen session Tuesday, so he should be ready to test himself against live hitters in the coming days.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Scheduled for bullpen Tuesday
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Norris (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris, who has been dealing with forearm fatigue recently, tossed an inning in Sunday's spring game against the Tigers. While the right-hander reported no issues afterwards, the Blue Jays want to see how he responds after Tuesday's bullpen session before determining his status for the start of the season.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Set to pitch Sunday
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Manager Charlie Montoyo said Norris (forearm) is scheduled to pitch one inning Sunday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Norris has been dealing with forearm fatigue for a few days, though the issue is thought to be minor. Assuming everything goes as planned, Montoyo said he expects the veteran right-hander to be ready for the start of the season. Norris is expected to hold down a setup role once healthy.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Dealing with forearm fatigue
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Norris was dealing with forearm fatigue Thursday but felt fine after throwing Friday, John Lott of The Athletic reports.
Any arm issue is a worry for a pitcher, but this one doesn't appear to be particularly concerning. Norris is scheduled to pitch again Sunday.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Still on track for Opening Day
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Norris (forearm) is still expected to be ready for Opening Day, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
The Jays remain optimistic that his bout of forearm soreness is minor, and Norris may even pitch in some capacity this weekend. With Ryan Tepera (elbow) and John Axford (elbow) both out of commission, the team can ill afford to lose Norris from its relief corps as well. Barring any setbacks, expect the veteran right-hander to open the season working the eighth inning in front of closer Ken Giles.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Scratched Thursday
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Norris (undisclosed) was scratched from Thursday's game against the Phillies, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
Norris didn't feel right while throwing earlier, prompting the Blue Jays to scrap his scheduled outing Thursday. The right-hander will be further evaluated in the coming days, but there's a chance he's forced to open the season on the shelf given how close Opening Day is.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Impresses in spring debut
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Norris impressed in his spring debut Friday, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.
After Norris' spring debut on Friday, manager Charlie Montoyo praised Norris saying, "He was really good. He dealt. He looked to me like a closer, a late-inning guy, pitching yesterday. That's good. He's competing for a job and that's a good start." Norris signed with the Blue Jays on Feb. 28, so he hasn't had his normal time to ramp up this spring. To suggest he has the chance to overtake Ken Giles -- the team's presumed closer all offseason -- seems to be a bit of a stretch, but Norris has been used in the closer role in past seasons and enters 2019 with 47 career saves.
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Blue Jays' Bud Norris: Signs with Toronto
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Norris signed with the Blue Jays on Thursday, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.
The deal will be a minor-league one, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, but it would be a surprise to see Norris fail to make the team. The veteran pitched 57.2 innings for the Cardinals last season, recording 28 saves with a 3.59 ERA. He'll likely slot in as the second option for the closer role behind Ken Giles. Norris will turn 34 in early March, but he's still a capable option for a late-inning role, posting a 27.4 percent strikeout rate with a 94.6 mph fastball last season.
