Osuna needed if Jays want to ‘get rolling’

The health of ace reliever Roberto Osuna is of prime concern to Toronto Blue Jays management, given his recent struggles with anxiety issues.

Unfortunately, Osuna’s status is in all likelihood directly linked to the team’s potential for success.

The Jays were pleased with Osuna’s ability to strike out the side in Sunday’s 8-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. The hope is Osuna builds off that performance and is available when the Jays host the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old converted his last 18 save opportunities, a careerbest streak. Osuna has said he feels fine physically.

There is concern that if Osuna isn’t available, the bullpen may be void of candidates for the closer’s role, hampering Toronto’s late push for the playoffs just as a division rival comes to town.

“We need to get rolling, that’s for sure,” Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

Meanwhile, about four and a half months after undergoing successful prostate cancer surgery, Jerry Howarth was back in the booth calling Blue Jays games for radio broadcasts at the start of the 2017 campaign. However, a virus in late April led to laryngitis and he was forced to miss 21 games.

Howarth has made a few minor changes to get back in top form since returning to his duties a few weeks ago. He has switched to decaffeinated coffee, is drinking more water and has met with specialists at a voice clinic to see if nasal polyps are an issue.

“Overall, I’m happy to be back and even at 80 to 85 per cent (to) call games,” Howarth said.

Last fall, a small tumour was discovered when Howarth, 71, a native of York, Pa., and longtime Toronto resident, learned he had elevated prostate-specific antigen test numbers. The tumour and his prostate gland were removed and doctors declared Howarth cancerfree after the procedure.