MEET THE 2017 TORONTO BLUE JAYS
These are the players that will try to get to post-season for a third straight year
STARTERS
MARCO ESTRADA
Throws: Right. Age: 33 2016: 9-9, 3.48 ERA Estrada’s changeup is one of the finest in baseball, with an amazing 10 m.p.h. difference from his high-80s fastball. His 3.95 runs in support per start in 2016 ranked 58th out of 74 starters with at least 162 innings.
J.A. HAPP
Throws: Left. Age: 34 2016: 20-4, 3.18 ERA Happ was the Jays’ first 20-game winner since Roy Halladay in 2007 and the first left-hander since David Wells in 2000 . . . In his second stint with Toronto; he was traded to the Mariners for Michael Saunders before 2014.
FRANCISCO LIRIANO
Throws: Left. Age: 33 2016: 8-13, 4.69 ERA Liriano needs four wins for 100 in his MLB career . . . Became part of a six-man rotation after he was acquired last year to help control Aaron Sanchez 2016 innings total . . . Replaces R.A. Dickey in this year’s rotation.
AARON SANCHEZ
Throws: Right. Age: 24 2016: 15-2, 3.00 ERA Sanchez broke in as a key setup man in the bullpen in 2014. He opened 2015 in the rotation, was injured and returned in the bullpen in the playoffs. Started last year as the fifth starter and led the American League in ERA.
MARCUS STROMAN
Throws: Right. Age: 25 2016: 9-10, 4.37 ERA MVP of the World Baseball Classic last month . . . Bounced back from major ACL surgery in 2015 to be a huge late-season factor . . . His 60.1 per cent groundball rate last year was best in the AL among qualified starters.
BULLPEN
ROBERTO OSUNA
Throws: Right. Age: 22 2016: 4-3, 2.68 ERA, 36 Saves Osuna was a starter in the minors through 2014, the year he returned from Tommy John surgery . . . Made the Jays’ opening day roster in 2015 as a 20-year-old and became closer in May . . . Starts this season on the DL.
JOE BIAGINI
Throws: Right. Age: 26 2016: 4-3, 3.06 ERA The resident clubhouse quipster allowed just three homers and 19 walks in 672⁄ innings while earning a 3 share of the setup role . . . Appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
JASON GRILLI
Throws: Right. Age: 40 2016: 6-4. 3.64 ERA Grilli was still less than a year removed from a ruptured Achilles tendon when the Jays traded for him in May, 2016 . . . Former closer in Pittsburgh, Atlanta the likely candidate to fill in for Osuna. J.P. HOWELL Throws: Left. Age: 33 2016: 1-1, 4.09 ERA Howell has been a model of consis- tency. Since 2008, he has pitched 64 to 69 games in six of eight seasons . . . Howell has five seasons of experience in the tough AL East.
DOMINIC LEONE
Throws: Right. Age: 26 2016: 0-1, 6.33 ERA The Clemson University product had a glitzy rookie season with the M’s in 2014, posting a record of 8-2, 2.17 ERA in 57 games, striking out 70 batters in 662⁄ innings . . . Has made 3 95 MLB appearances.
AARON LOUP
Throws: Left. Age: 29 2016: 0-0, 5.02 ERA Loup is considered the second lefty specialist in the Jays bullpen … He has seen his ERA rise in each of the past four seasons, to an uncomfortable 5.02 in just 141⁄ innings in 2016. 3
JOE SMITH
Throws: Right. Age: 33 2016: 2-5, 3.46 ERA Smith has been a reliable side-arming reliever for the last 10 years with the Mets, Indians, Angels and Cubs . . . He made 70-plus appearances for five straight seasons from 2011-15 and has a career ERA of 2.93.
RYAN TEPERA
Throws: Right. Age: 29 2016: 0-1, 2.95 ERA Tepera has appeared in parts of the last two seasons for the Jays and has a better career mark against lefthanded hitters than he does against righties . . . He has a career 1.05 WHIP and will pitch in middle relief.
CATCHERS
RUSSELL MARTIN Bats: Right. Age: 34 2016: .231-20 HR-74 RBIs Martin has led his team to the playoffs in each of the past six seasons and in nine of his 11 MLB campaigns . . . Martin was playing hurt down the stretch last year … Is a great gamecaller.
JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA Bats: Switch. Age: 31 2016: .171-12-38 Former first-round pick of the Braves in 2003 caught 100-plus games four straight seasons 2011-14 . . . He won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2013 and prides himself on being prepared for every opportunity.
INFIELDERS
DARWIN BARNEY Bats: Right. Age: 31 2016: .269-4-19 Barney was picked up as a fringe backup infielder for the 2015 pennant drive and has evolved into a reliable reserve with the ability to fill in at second or third base. Also played left field five times in ’16.
JOSH DONALDSON Bats: Right. Age: 31 2016: .284-37-99 Donaldson has missed just 18 games over the past four seasons . . . He was named AL MVP in 2015 as the Jays broke a 21-year playoff drought . . . Finished second in walks and runs scored in 2016.
RYAN GOINS Bats: Left. Age: 29 2016: .186-3-12 The Jays’ best shortstop defender other than starter Troy Tulowitzki, Goins added the ability to play first base and left field, increasing his versatility and value.
KENDRYS MORALES Bats: Switch. Age: 33 2016: .263-30-93 The veteran DH/1B has played his entire career in tough home parks for home run hitters and yet has 162 career long-balls and a .465 slugging mark . . . Taking over the RBI spot vacated by Edwin Encarnacion.
JUSTIN SMOAK Bats: Switch. Age: 30 2016: .217-14-34 Was originally a first-round choice (11th overall) of the Rangers in 2008 . . . A solid defender, Smoak was to have primary first-base duties with the departure of Encarnacion, but he will have to hit.
DEVON TRAVIS Bats: Right. Age: 26 2016: .300-11-50 Potentially one of the top second baseman in the AL, Travis has managed to stay on the field for just 163 games over two seasons . . . Spent the spring rehabbing a bruised right knee.
TROY TULOWITZKI Bats: Right. Age: 32 2016: .254-24-79 Tulowitzki was a first-round selection of the Rockies in June 2005 and is the all-time MLB leader in fielding percentage by a shortstop. But he has played more than 132 games just once in the past seven years.
OUTFIELDERS
JOSE BAUTISTA Bats: Right. Age: 36 2016: .234-22-69 Bautista is poised for a big season after his free agency was derailed by two freak injuries in 2016 . . . He leads the majors with 249 homers over the past seven seasons and has a career .861 OPS.
EZEQUIEL CARRERA Bats: Left. Age: 29 2016: .248-6-23 Carrera was going to be a peripheral contributor for the Jays in 2016 until injuries gave him the opportunity to play a career high 110 games in mostly a platoon role.
STEVE PEARCE Bats: Right. Age: 33 2016: .288-13-35 Pearce spent the spring rehabbing from elbow surgery last September . . . Should also see playing time at first base . . . He has never played more than 102 games in any one season.
KEVIN PILLAR Bats: Right. Age: 28 2016: .266-7-53 Pillar has Gold Glove skills in centre field, but has yet to win the award . . . He needs to improve his on-base average — a career .303 — in order to bat close to the top of the lineup.