Michael Lorenzen was unable to rediscover his once-serviceable form, and as a result, he was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays. In a corresponding move, former Los Angeles Dodgers minor-league reliever Jose Rodriguez will get his opportunity to make his long-awaited MLB debut.

Toronto acquired the high-strikeout reliever from the Dodgers on Sept. 1, and while it was uncertain if Blue Jays fans were going to see him this season, his minor league success will be tested during the team's most critical stretch of the season. 

The Blue Jays bullpen has been a driving force during the team's postseason push, and adding Rodriguez to the mix only makes things better. 

Promoting the right-hander is a wise decision, as he provides the team with an intriguing fresh arm, which will help to strengthen the relief corps. Considering Lorenzen has struggled with an 8.49 ERA across six relief appearances, they had to stop the bleeding. The veteran was costing the Blue Jays games. 

Jose Rodriguez gets his chance to shine following Michael Lorenzen's struggles

Between Lorenzen's inability to command the strike zone, lingering issues with surrendering the long-ball and failing to close out outings, the team was forced to DFA him. 

The Blue Jays acquired Lorenzen due to an injury-depleted bullpen and had hoped he could provide multiple innings of relief. But the Blue Jays got insurance with Rodriguez, as acquiring Lorenzen off waivers was low risk. Since it didn't pan out, Rodriguez has been promoted and has been added to the active roster. 

The Blue Jays are set to take on the Texas Rangers in the most pivotal series, as both teams are fighting for their postseason lives. Both teams go into the series 76-77 and are two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL wild-card spot.

Rodriguez provides reliever depth as the team continues to manage pitching injuries. He is expected to make an impact with his fastball averaging around 96.6 mph and can top at 97 mph. 

His arsenal also includes a devastating changeup that has generated a peak 69.5% whiff rate, serving as a primary swing-and-miss weapon. His promotion will likely serve as an audition for next season as he is viewed as a high-upside arm for the team's future bullpen.