Nance gets booted from the roster to make room for Brett de Geus, with the Blue Jays making the most critical switch of the 2024 season before Wednesday’s game against Boston.

Nance joins Toronto’s bullpen for Thursday’s showdown against the Orioles with lefty Génesis Cabrera going on paternity leave just one day after being acquired from the Padres in a rare post-trade deadline deal. The hard-throwing 33-year-old righty hasn’t appeared in the majors since the 2022 campaign when he made a career-high 35 relief appearances for the Marlins.

Nance, 32, elected free agency in early November after he refused an outright assignment to Triple-A by the Marlins. The right-hander logged just 17 minor league innings in 2023 as he worked his way back from a shoulder injury. He’ll function as extra bullpen depth for the Friars.

The 32-year-old right-hander missed the entire 2023 season due to shoulder issues and a left oblique strain. The Marlins removed him from their 40-man roster on Tuesday, but rather than accepting the outright assignment to Triple-A, he’ll take his chances on the open market.