Stro Show could be on hiatus for season

Blue Jays ace starter could be shut down as he recovers from finger blister issues

The Stro Show might be cancelled for the rest of the season.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Friday starting pitcher Marcus Stroman will miss his scheduled start Sunday due to blister issues.

“I don’t know if you’ll see him again (this season),” he added before Friday’s game against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre.

Stroman has posted a disappointing 4-9 record with a 5.54 ERA this season, a far cry from his 13-9 record and 3.09 ERA from 2017 that saw him finish eighth in American League Cy Young voting.

Gibbons also had an injury update on infielder Brandon Drury, out since Aug. 4, indicating he’s progressing normally from a fractured left hand.

“He got a scan a couple of days ago. It’s definitely healing, but we’re running out of time,” Gibbons said, while adding utility infielder Yangervis Solarte should be “ready soon.”

GREAT STARTS

Gibbons said he has seen a lot in his decades in baseball, but the major-league debuts of Rowdy Tellez and Billy McKinney rank right up there.

“The odds of the game is that he’ll cool off, but when you watch the way he plays, his approach, he’s got the makings of a good, solid player,” Gibbons said of McKinney, who was hitting .351 before Friday while reaching base at least once in each of the 16 games he had a plate appearance.

“He puts the ball in play.” Meanwhile, all Tellez has done is become the first player in the live-ball era to have an extra-base hit in each of his first three plate appearances.

Tellez is also the first with four extra-base hits in his first five atbats and only the second to notch four doubles in his first two games.

NO SPENDING SPREE PLANNED

This shouldn’t shock anyone, but Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said the Jays won’t be in the bidding for the two marquee free agents who figure to be on the market.

“We’re not going to be (in the game) for Bryce Harper or Manny Machado,” Shapiro said.

He insinuated team payroll will come way down as the rebuild kicks into high gear over the next couple of seasons.

Toronto’s opening day payrolls over the last two seasons were US$163 million and $162 million, respectively.

Right now the club only has six players signed for 2019, costing them $54.9 million, though a number of others figure to get new deals in arbitration.

The departed Josh Donaldson and Curtis Granderson and pending free-agent Marco Estrada cost the Jays $41 million this season.

AROUND THE BASES

Gibbons said rookie Jonathan Davis will be utilized as a pinch runner and might fill in a bit in the outfield, but it’s tough to find time for all of the outfielders on hand, he said. With McKinney able to play some first base, it might open up more options for Davis to pinch run and stay in games.

“He’s (McKinney) a good first baseman,” Gibbons said he was told by Buffalo Bisons manager Bobby Meacham.