[1] Toronto also extended the contract of first baseman Lyle Overbay,[2] and signed veteran designated hitter Frank Thomas.
During the month of January, Toronto signed starting pitchers John Thomson and then Tomo Ohka to incentive-based one-year contracts in an effort to strengthen their 4th and 5th rotational slots.
On January 30 Toronto also signed starting pitcher Víctor Zambrano to a minor league contract, and invited him to spring training.
When Brandon League, who was being considered for the main setup role, arrived to Spring training with a strained lat muscle, Zambrano took the empty spot in the bullpen.
Thomson injured himself in spring training, so the Blue Jays named Ohka and Towers as their fourth and fifth starters.
However, due to the emergence of young pitchers like Dustin McGowan, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo, the Jays finished 4 games above .500.
The day after McGowan's gem, the Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 8–5 to climb over the .500 mark for the first time since April and get their first four-game winning streak of the season.
In addition, Thomas was ejected from the game in the ninth inning by home plate umpire Mark Wegner for arguing balls and strikes.