Estrada’s pains are behind him for a change
CLEARWATER, FLA.— Blue Jays righthander Marco Estrada’s four-inning, seven-hit start here Tuesday night didn’t suggest a confidence-building performance.
But Estrada, in his final tune-up of the spring — a 10-4 Jays win over the Philadelphia Phillies — was pleased with his effort, especially by the fact he used a high number of changeups.
Estrada, like every other Jays starter, is working on pitch locations, feel, consistency of delivery, and a host of other things that matter more than scores and statistics.
The fact his changeup was getting swings and misses, and some routine outs, left Estrada highly positive for Monday, when he will start the Jays’ season opener in Baltimore.
“It was perfect,” Estrada said of his outing, which included four earned runs, two walks, and five strikeouts (61 pitches, 37 for strikes).
“The changeup, you know I’ve been talking about it all spring, I wanted to use it a lot and I threw a lot of them tonight.
“The fastball was off a bit and I wish I commanded it more, but those changeups, I had guys out front. I’m totally happy with that, I’m ready to go.”
While Estrada could feel good about himself, the Jays have plenty more to think about, with one day left in Florida, as they eyeball final roster cuts.
It’s expected the team already has a firm idea of how its 25-man roster will look, but the unveiling of it likely won’t happen until the two exhibition games in Montreal. It’s also possible there could be last-second tweaking, right up to Sunday, when the MLB deadline arrives for submitting rosters.
Melvin Upton, whose future with the Jays was thought to be on shaky grounds this spring, hit a two-run homer in the Jays’ four-run second inning. He’s part of a complicated setup in left field, a position the Jays never truly solved during the off-season or this spring.
The club brought in Steve Pearce, but eased him along as he took the last steps in his rehab from elbow surgery. Pearce has started two games now in left, and has prompted enough confidence in his play to earn a vote of confidence at that position from manager John Gibbons. What that means to Upton and Ezequiel Carrera remains to be seen. Going into spring training, the two were at the top of the conversation about left field, forming a platoon that the club was prepared to try going into the season.
Former Giants outfielder Angel Pagan has been linked to the Jays and four other teams, and will make his decision in the next 48 hours, according to an ESPN report Tuesday. Pagan can play all three outfield positions and is a switch hitter.
The scenarios are numerous, but the Jays may decide on Pearce, or Pagan, and be willing to waive either Upton or Carrera and see what happens.
Gibbons said Tuesday the club would feel comfortable with Pearce in left, but that “decisions are gonna go down to the wire.”
“Estrada, meanwhile, is far removed from a year ago, when he missed the start of the season with back issues.
“It’s night and day for me from last year,” he said. “My arm’s good, my back feels great. I’m ready to go.”