Tepera adds change-up to a high-power arsenal
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Ryan Tepera, a good Texas boy, went hunting in the off-season for white tail deer, hogs and various birds.
“Quail, pheasant and chukars,” Tepera — known in the clubhouse as Tep — said.
“I had no idea what a chukar was. I actually had to Google it, but it’s an Afghanistan bird. When I first got up there I didn’t know what I was shooting at, but I finally figured it out.”
The 30-year-old right-hander also went hunting for a way to get hitters out, despite the fact he enjoyed a terrific season in 2017, pitching 77.2 innings — the most he’s thrown since 2013, in double-A ball — with a 3.59 earned-run average, two saves and 81 strikeouts.
“I started working on a little change-up that I’m throwing now. So it’s been good. I’ve thrown it in live BP, bullpens,” said Tepera, who will likely be the Jays’ setup man with Danny Barnes this season, locking down the late innings for closer Roberto Osuna.
“I just wanted something to change up the speed of hitters. I throw a power slider and a four-seam and two-seam fastball, so I want something that can get them a little bit out in front and then speed them up with the fastball. If I can get that consistently, it’s going to be a huge weapon.
“I’m excited about it,” Tepera added. “It feels really good. It’s got good action, good speed off the fastball when it’s down — and that’s the key thing, just staying on top of it and keeping it down.”
The 2017 campaign was an eye-opener for Tepera. He pitched a lot of innings and learned more about his craft and how his body reacts to an increased workload.
“I think last year was kind of a learning curve. As much as I threw last year toward the end of the season, I definitely felt it a little bit,” he said. “The beginning of the season was very taxing.
“I was throwing three-plus innings occasionally (in games). Between up-hots and not getting in the game, and then the next day getting up hot and getting in the game, I think there was one road trip where I was either up hot or in the game all six games on the trip. So that was something that was different for me. Definitely had to adjust to that.”
With an eye on staying fresher later in the 2018 season, Tepera started throwing in the off-season a little later than usual.
“It was an adjustment throwing-wise. So towards the second half of the season, I kind of cut down on my throwing before the games, not long-tossing as much and kind of saving more bullets for the game,” he said.
“Towards the end of the season, 77.2 innings, 73 games was something I wasn’t used to … but I loved every second of it and it was just something I needed to manage a little better.”
Tepera comes into spring training with the luxury of not having to fight for a regular spot in the bullpen, something he’s had to do his entire pro career.
That has allowed him to work on specific parts of his game to get ready for the season as opposed to having to be 100 per cent right off the hop in hopes of impressing the coaching staff.
As the 2017 season wound to a close, Tepera offered to stretch out and become a starter for the Jays after the injury bug bit the rotation.
“I think they’re pretty locked and loaded in the rotation right now,” he said. “I thought about coming in and just competing for a job in the rotation, talking to them about that. Especially with the change-up, it’s a good mix for me. But I think our rotation is pretty much set right now.”
Tepera, Barnes and Osuna are the only relievers guaranteed a job this year. Tepera likes what he sees in terms of the competition at camp and believes the Jays’ bullpen has been a little overlooked because the starting rotation is so solid.
“We more or less have the same core group of guys as last year,” he said. “Losing (Dominic) Leone — we became really good friends, and as a teammate and pitcher — he was a really big part of the bullpen, so that’s a pretty big loss. But we still got a lot of the same guys and some new guys, (John) Axford and (Craig) Breslow and (Al) Alburquerque, so I think we’re looking good.”
It feels really good. It’s got good action, good speed off the fastball when it’s down.