Buehrle says he’s looking forward to moving on with his career as a Blue Jay

TORONTO – Newly acquired left-hander Mark Buehrle says he’s looking forward to moving on with his career as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Buehrle, speaking on a morning conference call, says he was shocked after being told he was part of a 12-player trade between Toronto and Miami earlier this month.

He adds while it took a couple of days for the news to sink in, he’s embracing the change with open arms and likes what general manager Alex Anthopoulos has done with the team.

The depth of the Toronto pitching staff has improved considerably with the addition of Buehrle and Josh Johnson, who will join starters Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero in the rotation.

Buehrle likes the way the Blue Jays look on paper and predicts the team will have an exciting squad next season.

He also says he’s exploring options on what to do about his two-year-old pit bull, a rescue dog named Slater. Ontario has had a pit bull ban in place since 2005.