Re-acquired by Toronto in January, the hard-throwing right-hander had struggled in Spring Training and appeared to have lost the velocity that helped him save 100 games for the Jays from 1999-2001.
In Wednesday's 5-0 pre-season loss to Minnesota, Koch allowed two hits and one earned run in one inning.
The 30-year-old allowed eight hits and five runs (all earned) in three spring appearances covering three innings. He struck out a pair and hit a batter.
Reliever Billy Koch was released by the Blue Jays on Thursday. (CP File Photo)
"What am I going to do, cry about it? I understand the game. It's a business," Koch said in a news release.
"If I had a piece of my puzzle that wasn't going to fit, that wasn't going to work out – that had guys in front of him, guys that were going to do better in my mind– I'd have no problem [getting rid of] him."
Righty Justin Speier, who saved seven games for Toronto last season, lost the closer's job to Miguel Batista a week ago. A converted starter, Batista was 5-for-5 in save chances in 2004 but was set to rejoin the rotation this season.
Koch finished last season with the Florida Marlins as a set-up man for closer Armando Benitez, who inked a three-year free-agent deal with San Francisco in November.
Toronto traded Koch to Oakland after the 2001 season, where he picked up 44 saves in his first season with the A's.
"The first time when they (Blue Jays) traded me away, that was tough, because all I had known was Toronto. I was young," he said.
"You don't really understand all the ins and outs of the game. You go through what I've gone through the last 3 1/2 years, and you realize."
Oakland dealt Koch to the Chicago White Sox during the 2003 campaign. He eventually lost the closer's job and has recorded just 19 saves since the start of the 2002 season.
"I want to give [Blue Jays] fans what they were used to, not to get them thinking what's [general manager] J.P. [Ricciardi] doing getting this crap," Koch said after signing a one-year, $900,000 US contract over the winter. "We have a good ball club here.
"It's changed a lot since I left. But I can't wait to take on Mr. Luxury Tax in New York and those guys in Boston."
He may still, but not as a member of the Blue Jays.
