Phelps finally finding groove in Blue Jays bullpen
Toronto loses 5-0 in Boston, but gets Borucki back soon
BOSTON This week was not David Phelps’ first visit to Fenway Park — as a former member of the
New York Yankees, it was also a regular stop for the right-handed reliever.
However, with the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher working his way back from Tommy John surgery, he viewed the famed ballpark like never before during his latest appearance this week.
“I do appreciate it more,” Phelps said in Fenway’s infamously cramped visitor’s clubhouse. “Obviously, it can be a tough environment and it’s loud and all those things. But for me now, it’s just so great to be back in a major-league ballpark. There’s definitely a different outlook.
“You definitely pause and soak it up a little more.”
A tale that is familiar by now, the lost season of 2018 was particularly gruesome for Phelps, who persevered through the pain and monotony until getting a new lease on his baseball life back in January when he was signed by the Jays. He began the season on the injured list and finally made his Toronto debut on June 17.
The more action he gets, the more appreciative Phelps is for both the opportunity and for the job taken from him for what had to have felt like an eternity. The sounds, the smells and the competitive juices were all welcome after his painstaking ordeal.
“It feels good, my arm’s been bouncing back well,” Phelps said. “We’re very happy with where we’re at and the stuff’s been getting better every time out.
“More than anything, I’m excited to be pitching in big-league games again and that I’m getting comfortable not having to worry about the pain.”
That comfort took another leap forward on Tuesday when Phelps worked 12/3 clean innings in the Jays’ win. The 34 pitches he threw were the most since his April 3 start to the 2017 season.
Doing it on a big-league mound and in a hostile environment only added to the allure for Phelps. There was no roar of the crowd as he rehabbed at the Jays’ Dunedin, Fla., facility for much of the winter and there was no chance to show he could put aside big-league hitters, either.
“The biggest thing for me through the rehab process is once I got to a point where I was more thinking about the sequences and what pitches I wanted to throw as opposed to what my arm was feeling like,” Phelps said. “I kind of made that turn in Buffalo. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about what my arm was feeling like on a regular basis.
“The mental hurdle is usually the last one to get past. And now that I’m there, it’s exciting. As I’m getting more comfortable with my pitches, I’m able to have more intent with what I’m doing.”
BORUCKI’S BACK
Could the starting rotation finally be getting some good news?
Manager Charlie Montoyo confirmed that left-hander Ryan Borucki’s next start will be with the big team, meaning he’s likely to make his 2019 debut on Monday at Rogers Centre against the Cleveland Indians.
Borucki was placed on the injured list with elbow inflammation on March 25 and has been working his way back to health. It was hoped that after making 17 starts last season, he’d be a significant part of the rotation this season.
Meanwhile, to make room for Thursday’s starter Thomas Pannone, the Jays designated right-hander Nick Kingham for assignment.
STRIKEOUTS FOR SALE
Though the Jays have had Red Sox starter Chris Sale’s number of late, it was swing and miss time on Thursday.
The veteran all-star recorded his first win at Fenway in more than a year (July 11, 2018) and he struck out 12 in recording the 5-0 shutout win through six complete innings.
“You could tell early on that it was Chris Sale and he was on,” Montoyo said. “There was no room for error.
“He was just throwing a lot of strikes.”
Toronto only recorded two hits on the day, both against Sale.
Pannone was the Blue Jays starter and the minor-league call-up from triple-a Buffalo mostly did his job in the loss. He pitched into the fifth inning, giving up five hits and four earned runs while striking out three batters.