"The Blue Jays have done Adam Loewen a favour — and kept open the option that the pitcher-turned-outfielder could be at spring training in Dunedin — by taking him off their 40-man roster.

Under a series of arcane major league baseball option/contract/free agent rules, the Jays would not have been able to sign the Canadian outfielder to a major league deal before the middle of next May if they hadn't released him from their roster in a move that was finalized Thursday morning.

"To keep his options open and our options open, this was the best thing," Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said on a conference call, citing a "transactional rule" for the move.

"This gives everybody more flexibility right now.""