The Toronto Blue Jays are moving former Tennessee pitcher Chad Dallas to their taxi squad with the plan to promote him to the major league team, Arden Swelling first reported. The Blue Jays are in the midst of a series against the Braves in Atlanta. With no announced starting pitcher, Dallas will likely make his MLB debut on Thursday against Atlanta.
Toronto called Dallas up a day after Lou Gehrig’s Day. Chad’s father Tony Dallas passed away from ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in May 2025.
Dallas has spent over four years in Minor League Baseball before finally making his MLB debut in 2026. The right-handed pitcher posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 36 innings pitched in AAA Buffalo so far this season.
The Texas native missed the entirety of the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but spent most of the 2024 season in AAA.
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Dallas spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Tennessee. He was the Friday night ace on the 2021 Volunteer team that returned to the College World Series for the first time in 16 years. Dallas posted a 11-2 record, 4.19 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 103 innings pitched during his junior season.
Toronto drafted Dallas in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft and the pitcher has spent the entirety of his professional career in the Blue Jays’ organization.
Dallas is the 11th former Tennessee player to make his MLB debut since COVID-19, joining a Garrett Crochet, Chase Dollander, Andre Lipcius, Jordan Beck, Drew Gilbert, Blade Tidwell, Seth Halvorsen, Christian Moore, Trey Lipscomb and Ben Joyce.
Toronto is the reigning American League champions and enters Wednesday night’s matchup against Atlanta with a 29-32 record on the 2026 season. They’re eight games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
