Nate Pearson is making his major-league debut when the Toronto Blue Jays face the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, and the flamethrowing right-hander harbors no ill will for being held off the Opening Day roster in the name of service time.
"I try not to let that stuff bother me," Pearson said, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. "Obviously, bringing me up right after the service time date brings up a lot of speculation. But at the end of the day, it's a business move. And I want the Blue Jays to be successful."
By keeping Pearson off of the roster for nearly the first full week of the season, the Jays have guaranteed the pitching prospect can only accrue 61 days of service maximum. A player needs to stay on the major-league roster for 62 days to qualify.
As a result, the pitcher's free agency is postponed by one year, from 2025 to the 2026 postseason.
"They're just doing what's best for the organization, and I can't take that personally," Pearson continued. "They're just doing what owners and GMs are supposed to do - just do the best for the team. So, I try not to let that affect me. And I just control what I can control. All I know is I'm making my debut, and I'm excited for it."
The 23-year-old earned a pair of promotions last year after kicking off the season with High-A Dunedin. Pearson authored a 2.30 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 101 2/3 innings across three minor-league levels and topping out at Triple-A.
Pearson - the No. 8 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline - is currently scheduled to line up against Max Scherzer.