BRAND NEW JAY
Jays add Garcia to rotation, beat Stroman in arbitration,
DUNEDIN, FLA.— While it appears the Blue Jays are being cautious with the bonespur on the right heel of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, manager John Gibbons is not ready to give up on him being ready for April.
“It’s just a little nagging thing,” Gibbons said.
“When he gets here, it should be fine. If it hampers him a little bit, it won’t be very long.”
If Tulowitzki is not able to answer the opening bell, Gibbons likes the options he has following off-season deals to acquire Aledmys Diaz and Yangervis Solarte.
“That was one of the big reasons to go out and acquire (Diaz),” Gibbons said. “You can throw Solarte in there too. Just to cover us. (Tulowitzki) and Devon (Travis) have both been
banged up a little bit lately. Hopefully that’s not the case, but if something happens we feel pretty good with those other guys.”
THE HOME TEAM: Canadian righthander Jordan Romano walked into the Blue Jays clubhouse and settling down at a locker with his name and the No. 68 on the plaque — the fulfilment of a dream come true.
“Growing up in Markham, I’m only 30 minutes from the stadium,” he said. “And growing up watching all these guys on TV and now I’m a part of it . . . I have my own locker beside all my idols growing up.”
Romano has a lively arm with a fastball in the mid-90s. Because he missed a season with Tommy John surgery, the Jays took a chance and exposed him in the Rule 5 draft during the winter meetings. The gamble paid off, with no team wanting to have to keep him on the 25-man roster for a full season. It may have been disappointing to not be added to the 40-man roster, but Romano understands.
“This year there were so many great players in our organization that had to be protected and I just wasn’t one of them. Now, looking back on it, I’m glad I wasn’t taken because this is the team I was drafted with and this is the team I want to make it to the majors with.” PETRICKA RE-ASSIGNED: The Blue Jays have sent right-hander Jake Petricka to minor-league camp to continue rehab on his surgically repaired right elbow for a flexor tendon debridement.
The 29-year-old former White Sox reliever is on a minor-league contract. He had a 7.01 ERA in 27 appearances with Chicago last year.