The Blue Jays will play the rest of the AL Division Series with one left-hander in their bullpen.
Toronto officially removed Brett Cecil from its roster Saturday, a day after the reliever suffered a "significant" calf tear in a Game 2 loss to the Rangers. Right-hander Ryan Tepera will take Cecil's spot on the 25-man for Sunday's do-or-die Game 3 in Arlington.
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The move leaves Aaron Loup as manager John Gibbons' lone lefty option in relief going forward, and the loss of Cecil could prove significant no matter how much longer the series lasts.
Cecil has not allowed an earned run since June 24, a span of 39 consecutive appearances. His absence won't help in key matchup situations against Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo.
Tepera, 27, made his major league debut in May and is 0-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 32 relief appearances for Toronto this year. He also had a 1.06 ERA in 21 appearances at Triple-A Buffalo.
Under MLB rules, Cecil is not eligible to be on the Blue Jays' ALCS roster if they advance, but could be reactivated for the World Series.
