Refsnyder hits ground running in debut
Jays call-up makes first pitch after long delay at border with Tulowitzki on shelf
Hello, I’m Rob Refsynder.
And so it went for Toronto’s newest Blue Jay. While the utility infielder didn’t exactly wear a nametag in the dugout, he did spend much of Saturday afternoon introducing himself to his new teammates.
Made it to the ballpark from Buffalo barely in time for the first pitch, after a 90-minute cross-border stall, given the third degree by customs agents.
“They were pretty tough. A lot more questions than I was anticipating.”
Only when the work permit was confirmed was the 26-year-old — born in South Korea, adopted as a baby by California parents — allowed to step foot in Canada.
A sellout crowd at the Rogers Centre got their first gander at Refsnyder when he trotted out to pinch run for catcher Miguel Montero in the bottom of the ninth. Never got beyond second base, though, when Jose Bautista grounded into a game-ending double play.
“It was nice to get in and get the jitters out of the way a little bit.”
A little bit of speed on the bases would be nice for the phlegmatic Jays, too. Sluggish sluggers might best describe them this season.
With Troy Tulowitzki starting another stint on the DL after crumbling across first base Friday night — made bad contact both with the bag and first baseman C.J. Cron — Refsnyder was summoned from the Triple-A Bisons.
A one-time highly regarded prospect with the Yankees, then designated for assignment, Refsnyder is hoping to rekindle his major-league dreams with the Jays, acquired from New York last Sunday in a low-risk trade that sent minor-leaguer Ryan McBroom the other way.
He’d spent time with the Yankees in each of the past two seasons — 20 games this year — but had clearly fallen out of their long-term plans. In 41 Triple-A games this year, he has a slash line of .318/.398/.459.
The Jays have no shortage of utility players but Refsnyder has recently seen service all over the infield, and with Tulowitzki on the 10-day DL (for now) he’s getting an opportune shot in Toronto.
“It was pretty exciting,” Refsnyder said about learning that he’d become Jays property. “I was at my in-laws’ in Illinois, kind of just relaxing and trying to stay in shape. Wasn’t really anticipating another AL East team, to be honest. Obviously I’d played in Buffalo a couple of times throughout the year (in the Yankees’ minor- league system). It seemed like a better opportunity than what I was getting the past couple of years in New York.”
Upon reporting to the Bisons, Refsnyder liked what he heard from the Jays about his immediate future.
Versatile, which made him attractive to Toronto. Hard-pressed to say where he feels most comfortable, though it’s been mostly at second. “Man, I can’t even dial down where exactly I was playing. I was more of an insurance policy, if somebody got hurt or something like that. I was bouncing around a lot.”
Savouring his return to The Show, even if Saturday was a brief cameo appearance.
“Coming here, late in the season, electric atmosphere. I look at players I’ve admired from the other dugout for a couple of years. I’ll see where I kind of fit in. Right now I just want to be one of the guys, put the work in, get here early, stay late, all the clichés.’’
He got chatting with Aaron Sanchez in the dugout and, if nothing else, was relieved that he won’t have to face him from the mound.
“Man, I think I’m 0-for-30 against Sanchez.”
Toronto also optioned reliever Chris Smith to Buffalo, swapping him for Mike Bolsinger, who would have started if Francisco Liriano had been traded by game time. Which he wasn’t. Stay tuned.