Louis Varland has been Toronto’s bullpen standout after taking over the closer role, recording five saves and allowing one earned run in 24.2 innings with a 0.36 ERA. He has struck out 35.7% of batters faced and produced 1.1 fWAR, ranking second among league relievers behind Mason Miller. His Win Probability Added value is 2.1, leading all players and indicating a major positive effect on Toronto’s chances of winning. WPA measures how a player changes the probability of team victory, with high-leverage relievers benefiting from frequent appearances in close games. Varland’s WPA pace suggests a season comparable to the best pitching years in recent history, including levels seen by Emmanuel Clase in 2024.
"Varland has an advantage over others. And yet, that shouldn't diminish the fact that his 2.1 WPA this year not only paces the entire league, but puts him on track for the best pitching season since Emmanuel Clase in 2024, when the (now-disgraced) Cleveland Guardians reliever nearly won a Cy Young Award. The last Blue Jays pitcher to win the WPA crown in the American League was Jordan Romano in 2021 (3.8 WPA); the last one to lead the entire league was Roger Clemens in 1997 (7.1 WPA)."
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