Paul SewaldARI · TOR · RP

2026 review

Paul Sewald opened the year as a closer and lost the job along the way: 62 games, 0 starts, a 4.72 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 53.1 IP, a 24.2 K% and a 5.9 BB% over 219 BF, with 24 SV, 3 HLD and 3 BS. He signed with ARI on Feb 14, was designated for assignment Aug 10, and was claimed off waivers by TOR from ARI on Aug 12. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 417, he finished 270th of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank, 147 spots above his ADP rank, 90th of 811 pitchers and 49th of 575 relievers. His 39.6 Hard% over 149 BBE was the 49th highest of 517 pitchers with 100+ BF, and his 4.72 ERA ran 0.60 above his 4.12 xERA over 219 BF. The TDK LABS card tracked the fall: in early May it had him firmly in the closer's role, clear of the rest of the pen; by late Jun it still called him a ninth-inning lock with sharp stuff; by late Aug it had him as a low-leverage middle reliever in Toronto after Arizona let him go; and by late Sep it had him out of the closer role, working through a drop in velocity.