Toronto Blue Jays clap back after reliever gets snubbed by MLB

Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Louis Varland is having an incredible season, but it seems his statistics aren't getting the recognition they deserve.

On Wednesday, MLB named the Relievers of the Month for May and left the Blue Jays' high-octane right-hander off the list.

The team took to social media to fight for him.

"Louis Varland had a 0.00 ERA in the month. Sounds like the best a pitcher can do," the team replied to the MLB's post on X.

Louis Varland had a 0.00 ERA in the month. Sounds like the best a pitcher can do. pic.twitter.com/YoSkpS2HmJ

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 3, 2026

Instead, MLB awarded American League Reliever of the Month honours to Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith, who recorded 13 saves and posted a 1.32 ERA in May.

While the Abbotsford, B.C. native's numbers have been great, Varland has been lights out over the last four weeks and has been one of the most dominant relievers this season.

Varland posted a 0.00 ERA across his 14 innings pitched in May. He also struck out 15 batters, converted all four of his save opportunities and did not allow a single run.

Through 31 innings in 2026, he has surrendered just one earned run, which came during an April 25 game against the Guardians. In that game, he still struck out two of the seven batters he faced and eventually earned the save.

We aren’t talking about Louis Varland enough pic.twitter.com/yxeEwshOdk

— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) June 3, 2026

The 28-year-old's stats have surprisingly improved from April to May, and he won this award last month.

Opposing hitters batted just .209 against Varland in May, whereas teams hit .240 against Smith. Varland was also four for four in save opportunities and has not allowed a home run all season.