Choate has retired from baseball, Sweeny Murti of WFAN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Choate posted a career 3.70 ERA, with 348 strikeouts in 408 innings, but he churned out a longtime role as a LOOGY.

Choate was released by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though he didn't make the Opening Day roster, Choate could stick with the organization to provide bullpen depth, if he can't quickly locate a big-league job. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he hopes the veteran lefty will accept an assignment to Triple-A Buffalo.

Choate signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays on Friday, Sweeny Murti of Sportsradio 66 WFAN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Usually an excellent lefty specialist, Choate saw his splits against left-handed hitters take a step back in 2015, allowing a .265/.333/.361 line in 94 plate appearances. The 40-year-old will enter Blue Jays camp seeking a spot that could be open with fellow left-hander Aaron Loup (forearm) out due to a flexor tendon strain.

Choate struck out the only batter he faced Friday night and was credited with the win as the Cards topped the Pirates in 10 innings. The Cards are typically very strict about Choate's use as LOOGY, as he's only faced more than one batter once in 10 trips to the mound this season. Most his value will come in the form of holds, but high leverage spots with left-handed batters in the mix can typically be given to Kevin Siegrist.

Choate will once again serve as the Cardinals lefty specialist as he's expected to make the opening day roster, MLB.com reports. Choate only allowed one run this spring despite posting a 1.69 WHIP. He'll continue in his lefty-specialist role for the Cardinals again this year but certainly is a viable candidate for a trade this summer as the Cardinals have plenty of young options that can do more than just serve as a specialist.

Randy Choate logged a scoreless inning of relief Saturday against the Dodgers, lowering his ERA to 1.08. A 37-year-old lefty killer, Choate has logged only 8 1/3 innings this year due to discretionary use. He's dutifully performed his role, allowing only one earned run over 16 appearances. Choate has six holds on the year and will earn plenty more pitching for the mighty Cardinals.

Cardinals signed LHP Randy Choate to a three-year, $7.5 million contract. The deal became official after Choate passed a physical Friday in St. Louis. A 37-year-old left-handed specialist, Choate has held left-handed batters to a .201/.278/.284 career slash line and also gets plenty of ground balls. While there's a chance he might not be effective by the end of the deal, the Cards didn't invest much.

The Cardinals' agreement with Randy Choate is worth $7.5 million over the next three seasons. Those financial details come courtesy of CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. It's odd to see a 37-year-old reliever score a three-year deal, but the money isn't bad and it's reasonable to expect Choate to remain effective into his 40s if used correctly. The veteran southpaw boasts a .201/.278/.284 career slash line against left-handed batters.

ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that the Cardinals have agreed to a deal with left-hander Randy Choate. The Cards had interest in Sean Burnett, but the asking price grew to large for their liking. So the club went down to the second tier of lefty specialists and plucked a pretty good one. Choate, 37, has held left-handed hitters to a .201/.278/.284 batting line over the course of his 12-year MLB career.

Randy Choate returned to action on Tuesday September 4.