Whether it’s the 60 feet, six inches from the mound to the plate or the six inches between his ears, Little’s command remains elusive.<\/p>\n
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Published Mar 31, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Head down, shoulders slumped Blue Jays relief pitcher Brendon Little slowly walked off the Rogers Centre field on Monday night, the boos raining down, loud and with disgust.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Unfortunately for the struggling left hander, it has become the soundtrack of his recent time with the Jays.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n And now the team must figure out what to do with him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou feel for him,\u201d manager John Schneider said following Monday\u2019s latest struggles for the Jays reliever, who helped send a close game to blowout territory in a 14-5 loss to the lowly Colorado Rockies.<\/a> \u201cHe hears the crowd and we hear the crowd.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been so good for us and he has amazing stuff. He just has to figure out a way to harness it and get outs.\u201d<\/p>\n Far easier said than done for Little, who had become such a whipping boy for spectacular flameouts during last year\u2019s post-season that you had to wonder if he\u2019d ever recover.<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play Video<\/p>\n The line from Little\u2019s latest was gruesome as he allowed four runs on four hits with a walk to see his limited-sample-size ERA bloom to a laughable 47.25<\/a>. After striking out the first batter he faced, the next Rockies batsmen went single, walk (on four pitches), double, double, ground out.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n When the inning was done, the Rockies had put up seven runs and led 9-1.<\/p>\n In his first outing of the season, Little was rocked even harder, giving up a grand slam<\/a> in the seventh inning of Saturday\u2019s game against the Athletics that blew the Jays lead. The team eventually came back to win, but the same old concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been two outings so far this season and they haven\u2019t gone great,\u201d Schneider said, which just four games in may go down as his understatement of the season. \u201cWe want do everything we can to help him. I don\u2019t want to put too much weight into two outings.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an easy narrative to write about, but Brendon Little has electric stuff and we\u2019ve got to figure out a way to help him.\u201d<\/p>\n Why are Little\u2019s struggles so puzzling?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where it becomes profoundly baffling for the braintrust of Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The personable Little took improvement seriously in the off-season, adding strength to his upper body, particularly his left shoulder, changes that seemed to take in spring training when the addition of a four-seam fastball that could reach 98 mph was playing well.<\/p>\n The blueprint tied to that regiment was to be able to fire that pitch to the top of the zone, further flummoxing hitters with his nasty breaking ball.<\/p>\n In theory, it made a ton sense. In practice, he still isn\u2019t throwing enough strikes, as we\u2019ve seen in the two rough outings so far.<\/p>\n \u201cHe took some heat at the end of last year, but we used him a lot,\u201d Walker told us in spring training. \u201cHe had some months that were nasty. Unhittable. His goal is to get a hitter in swing mode.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIf he\u2019s throwing strikes, he\u2019s one of the best lefties in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n If only it were that simple and yes, therein lies the problem. Whether it\u2019s the 60 feet, six inches from pitcher\u2019s mound to home plate or the six inches between his ears, the command of the strike zone remains elusive.<\/p>\n How much longer will team stick with Little?<\/p>\n Little\u2019s struggles to throw strikes is still very much in effect and one has to wonder how much longer he can take the heat. Or more pressing: Whether Blue Jays management believes they can afford to keep him on the roster to work things out.<\/p>\n Little still has options and could be sent down to triple A Buffalo to sort things out and refine some of the good work he had shown in Grapefruit League play.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously this game\u2019s tough and the better your team is, the bigger the stage, so when you do have a tough outing, it\u2019s magnified,\u201d Walker said in Dunedin when asked how Little handled the negativity last fall. \u201cBut he never went into a shell. He always wanted the ball and we wanted to get him back out there.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cHe takes a lot of pride in being there for his teammates and worked hard this off-season.\u201d<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Blue Jays routed by Rockies, Cody Ponce injury looms large<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0401-brendon-little-blue-jays.jpg\")
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Brendon Little reacts after giving up a grand slam against the Athletics. The Canadian PressArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.8.4\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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