BLUE JAYS WATCH
Sanchez aims to cut down on ‘dumb’ runs
MINNEAPOLIS — Six starts into the 2018 season, there has been more good than bad for Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez.
But that doesn’t mean the young right-hander isn’t driven to become much better — and ideally as soon as possible so that he can be counted on every five or six days.
“The first month there’s been inconsistency in terms of workload with my body trying to get back to turning over every five days,” Sanchez said. “It’s getting my body used to that. I haven’t really done it.
“You can imitate it in spring training as well as you can, but until you are out there when things count … the body starts to ramp up in different ways. It’s something I’m still trying to get adjusted to, but it will come.”
Sanchez was the first to acknowledge that his start here on Monday was a grind, even though he ultimately got the win, his second of the season. His command was off and his tendency to allow what he calls “dumb runs” continued.
“I think reps will clean up a lot of things,” said Sanchez, who has a credible ERA of 4.06 and leads all Jays pitchers with 37.2 innings pitched. “I feel like I’ve given up a lot of dumb runs this year where I walk a guy with two outs then give up a homer. That’s dumb in my eyes.
“For me being more focussed in situations like that (will help. Killing the inning and not having to tinker with other batters and throwing more pitches. Once those reps come, I think everything will fall into place nice.”
WHERE THERE’S SMOAK
After a slumbering start for much of April, Justin Smoak is starting to round into form, including his fourth homer of the season on Monday.
That may not seem like much for the big Jays first baseman, but it’s the same total he had at the end of April last year when he went on to a career-best 38-homer season.
“He’s been swinging fine,” said Jays manager John
Gibbons. “The key for him, like most big guys, is getting the ball in there air. He set the bar (last year) but I see the same swing.”
Interestingly, Smoak has hit three of his homers off of right-handers despite hitting just .177 against them. With five RBI in his five games previous to Tuesday, Smoak assumed the team lead in that department with 17.
QUICK HITS
The Jays have promoted shortstop Richard Urena from class-A Dunedin to triple-A Buffalo … The Jays had an MLB-best 37 home runs in April … Prior to Tuesday, Jays catchers Russell Martin and Luke Maile had yet to surrender a passed ball, the only team in the majors that can make that claim ... Quick turnaround for the finale of the three-game series with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET (12:10 local time).