Aaron Loup

Who is Aaron Loup?

Aaron Christopher Loup is an American professional baseball relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He stands 6 feet 0 inches and weighs 210 pounds. Born in Raceland, Louisiana, Loup played baseball at Hahnville High School and Tulane University, where he led his teams to several state playoff appearances and recorded a five-hit shutout. He was drafted by the Blue Jays out of Tulane in the ninth round of the 2009 draft.

After playing for three years with minor-league affiliates for the Toronto Blue Jays and even being chosen for the 2012 Eastern League All-Star Game, Loup was called up to the Blue Jays as a replacement for Luis Pérez and retired all six batters he faced. He was later voted the 2012 Toronto Blue Jays Rookie of the Year by the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Loup pitched 1¹⁄3 innings on Opening Day in 2013, and would go on to win his first major league game on April 10 against the Detroit Tigers. He recorded his first two major league saves on April 12 and June 2, and led the Blue Jays to a win in an 18-inning game on June 8 after a pair of groundouts.

Loup is a southpaw whose pitching drastically improved after coaches told him to become a sidearm pitcher. His fastball has been noted as particularly effective against both left- and right-handed batters, but he continues to struggle with a changeup. Manager John Gibbons does not view Loup as a long reliever, but rather as a "situational, one-inning guy." He is known for his "relaxed" personality, which has improved after spending time with his teammates.