Joel Payamps claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays

There’s been a lot of talk lately about how time loop movies are hot right now, but apparently it’s extending to baseball as Joel Payamps is currently living through one himself. The righty has had quite the winter, being caught up in waiver wire madness. He was originally claimed off waivers by the Red Sox from the Diamondbacks in November, then claimed by the Blue Jays from the Red Sox in February, then claimed back by the Red Sox from the Blue Jays a couple weeks later. Now, Toronto is getting its revenge. They claimed Payamps off waivers once again on Saturday.

Payamps was on the fringe of the Red Sox roster, likely slated to head to the Alternate Site at the start of the season to serve as swingman depth. As we wrote about on Friday, he was in a bit of a logjam with that position, which made him heading back to waivers seem inevitable. The Red Sox like him enough to keep trying to sneak him through and keep him in the organization, but Toronto is not letting that happen.

As for where the roster stands now, the reason for opening up the 40-man spot has not yet been announced. Presumably, though, it is for Kevin Plawecki, who is coming back from the COVID list. Plawecki played in Saturday’s spring game that was eventually cancelled after two innings due to weather, but he was technically on a rehab assignment. He has to be added sooner or later, and that’s most likely who will get the now-open 40-man spot.

Update (3/7; 9:50 PM ET)

As expected, Plawecki was officially reinstated from the COVID list and added back to the 40-man on Sunday.