Jays analyze where they stand at all-star break
QUESTIONS SURROUND PENDING FREE AGENTS, LINEUP
The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in the midst of MLB’S allstar break, a time best served to mend some of the team’s broken pieces and try to figure out the ideal rotation and lineup moving forward.
A post-season appearance was achieved last year, but it came in a shortened season when the playoff pool was expanded. It ended quite abruptly and dramatically when Tampa took two in a row in a best-of-three meeting.
The Jays added big-ticket free agent George Springer, but the former World Series MVP has yet to find his footing after he began the year on the right foot with injuries to his oblique and quad.
For now, the Jays have slotted Springer at cleanup, an unfamiliar role for someone accustomed to leading off.
Once play resumes Friday with a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, one of the issues facing the Jays involves Springer and precisely where he best fits in the lineup. What’s known is that Springer will be a staple given the commitment the Jays made by luring him to Toronto, even though the franchise has yet to play a game of any consequence north of the border.
What’s not known is whether Marcus Semien will be around beyond this season. Semien is in Denver, site of Tuesday’s all-star game, one of three Blue Jays who will start for the AL. He’s a free agent who has been asked to play second base when his natural position is at shortstop.
Robbie Ray isn’t in Colorado,
but he should have been given the body of work. He allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out 11 in seven innings to improve to 7-4 Sunday in Tampa.
It was Ray’s ninth game in which he has recorded nine or more Ks, tying the ace of all staff aces in New York Mets’ Jacob degrom for most in the majors.
Only Roger Clemens (140) has struck out more than Ray (130) in team history at the break. Like Semien, Ray is a pending free agent.
The Jays sport a 45-42 record at the break and are in the hunt for a wild-card berth and eight games back of AL East leading Boston.
The Jays are scheduled to play 13 games before the July 30 trade deadline arrives. Seven of those 13 games will be against the Red Sox.
Blue Jays management has tried to address the bullpen by trading for the likes of Adam Cimber, Trevor Richards and Jacob Barnes.
There’s talk of the team being interested in bigger names such as Craig Kimbrel
and Richard Rodriguez.
The Jays have also been linked to some big bats such as Nelson Cruz and even Joey Gallo.
Corey Dickerson came to the Jays with the sinker-baller Cimber from Miami in the package that sent Joe Panik to the Marlins, but Dickerson remains out because of a foot injury.
The Jays have shown they are not adverse to pulling the trigger, but the next move, assuming one is viable, figures to be much more impactful.
In the 18 games played against the Red Sox and Rays, the Jays have gone a combined 7-11, which isn’t good.
The Jays have gone 4-5 against a New York Yankees team that isn’t good.
Toronto is known for its offence, but the Jays entered the break having lost 7-1 and 5-2 to the Rays before Ray’s one-hit gem on a day when the bottom of Toronto’s order did the damage sparked by Danny Jansen and Santiago Espinal.
The all-star break comes at an opportune time for the Jays, a time best used to self-evaluate.
FEELING A DRAFT
The Jays used the 19th overall pick in MLB’S first round to select RHP Gunnar Hoglund, regarded by many as a top-10 selection before he underwent Tommy John surgery in May. The book on Hoglund, an Ole Miss product, highlights his command and an arsenal that includes a slider that has cutter-like qualities. Scouts project Hoglund to be a mid-rotation starter ... Doug Melvin and Gord Ash have a soft spot for Canadians given their backgrounds, which helps explain why the Milwaukee Brewers selected Wright State University second baseman Tyler Black, whose dad Rod is a broadcaster for TSN. Tyler was selected 33rd overall by the Brew Crew after he emerged as the lone Canuck taken in the first round . ... The Jays forfeited their second-round pick after signing Springer, but they did have a thirdround selection and used it on Golden West College LHP Ricky Tiedemann, who is known for throwing all three of his pitches for strikes in the absence of a true heater ... Toronto used its fourth-round pick on another pitcher, righty Chad Dallas, who became the ace of a College World Series staff at Tennessee ... Irv Carter IV, a right-handed senior pitcher at Calvary Christian in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. went to Toronto in the fifth round.a fifth pitcher was taken when the Jays used their sixth-round pick to select Hayden Juenger, a 6-foot righty from Missouri State.