Blue Jays may add sixth starter to rotation
TORONTO — With their starters averaging 92 pitches and barely five innings a start heading into Thursday night, the Toronto Blue Jays may occasionally deploy a sixman rotation in May and June to give their five regular starters extra rest, manager John Gibbons said.
His comments came in response to media questions about Dustin McGowan, who admitted after Wednesday’s start he becomes “a little bit” tired when he hits the 60-pitch mark in his starts. McGowan expressed frustration at that trend and said he must find a way to “get past that hurdle.” McGowan left Wednesday’s start with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth inning. He had thrown 70 pitches. In four starts, the converted reliever has averaged 79 pitches and 4.25 innings.
Gibbons said he and general manager Alex Anthopoulos have discussed the possibility of using J.A. Happ as a spot starter in Philadelphia May 5, shortly after the team has begun a stretch of 20 games without a day off.
The more Gibbons addressed that notion, the more likely it seemed the Jays would use Happ, a career starter until this year, in that fashion, perhaps through June and into July as well.
“We’ve thought of creating our own off-day in there by maybe spot-starting somebody in there, like a Happ, just for that extra day (of rest for the other starters). … We haven’t committed to that yet, but we’ve talked about that,” he said.