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Blue Jays bring back Pompey, Kawasaki for playoff run

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Eyeing their first playoff appearance in more than two decades, the Blue Jays welcomed a local boy and another fan favorite back to Toronto when rosters expanded Tuesday.

Dalton Pompey, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, and veteran infielder Munenori Kawasaki were among five players recalled by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, along with right-hander Ryan Tepera and left-handers Aaron Loup and Jeff Francis.

Pompey - an outfielder selected in the 16th round of the 2010 draft - earned a spot on Toronto's 25-man roster out of spring training, but was optioned to the minors in the May following a rough start to the campaign. In stints with Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo this summer, however, Pompey restored some of his prospect shine, hitting .307/.383/.321 with seven home runs, 47 walks, and 23 stolen bases in 96 games between the two affiliates.

Kawasaki, meanwhile, enjoyed two stints with the Blue Jays this season, hitting .167/.250/.278 over 14 games with Toronto while spending most of the campaign at Triple-A Buffalo.

Tepera made his MLB debut with Toronto earlier this season and enjoyed considerable success in a low-leverage role out of the Blue Jays' bullpen, fashioning a 2.28 ERA with a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 relief appearances.

Loup's season wasn't nearly as encouraging, however. A fixture in Toronto's bullpen since his 2012 debut, the 27-year-old stumbled to a 5.20 ERA in 48 appearances before being demoted to Buffalo in August. Despite posting a career-best 25.3 percent strikeout rate, Loup proved highly ineffective against right-handed hitters this season, yielding six home runs while allowing an .844 OPS in 96 plate appearances by right-handed batters.

Francis, another native Canadian, logged eight appearances with Toronto in 2015 before being sent to the minors, posting a 6.75 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP over 12 innings. In 92 innings for Buffalo, though, the 34-year-old authored a 2.35 ERA with a 6.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

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