The Toronto Blue Jays announced that they have signed left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis to a minor-league deal. His minor-league deal includes an invitation to major-league spring training.

Jeff Francis, a 33-year-old native of Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada, is coming off a down year, in which he played in three organizations: the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and the Oakland Athletics. During the 2014 campaign, Francis pitched to a 1-2 record, along with a 5.85 ERA in twenty innings pitched in twelve games, one of which a start for the Yankees, in the major leagues. In the minor leagues at Triple-A Louisville, a Reds' affiliate, he recorded a 4-3 record, along with a 3.33 ERA in 48.2 innings pitched over eight starts.

Francis made his major-league debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2004, finally making the starting rotation in 2005. In his true rookie campaign, Francis compiled a 14-12 record, along with a 5.68 ERA in 183.2 innings of work. Finishing the 2005 season sixth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, Francis recorded an 84 ERA+, 4.74 FIP and a 6.3 K/9.

Following his rookie year, he would put up win totals of 13 and 17, with the 17-win season proving to be his peak campaign. In 2007, he went 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA, 114 ERA+, 4.19 FIP and a 6.9 K/9 in 215.1 innings pitched. He would go on to finish ninth in the National League Cy Young award voting.

He would never produce numbers even close to that mark again. Over the next seven seasons, he would go 23-46 with a with his lowest earned run average coming in 2011 with the Kansas City Royals, where he went 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA in 183 innings pitched.

A former first-round pick back in 2002 for the Rockies, he has a career record of 71-80 and a 4.95 ERA in 1296 innings pitched over 240 games in the major-leagues. This signing by the Blue Jays acts as a no-risk, low reward deal for the club, because if he doesn't make the team, he can provide organizational depth in Triple-A, but if he makes the team, he could serve as either a long reliever out of the bullpen or as a potential number-five starter.