HAPP GETS CALL FOR JAYS IN OPENER
Manager likes look of his pitching rotation heading into season, writes Rob Longley.
CLEARWATER, FLA. With J.A. Happ leading the way on opening day, the Toronto Blue Jays have a rotation they hope will help them return to playoff contention.
And that’s part of the appeal of the assignment for the 10-year veteran, who will have the valued start for the first time in his career.
“I feel good about the last couple of years being in a lot of (big) games for the team and being relied on,” Happ said Tuesday after manager John Gibbons unveiled his rotation and order. “That’s something I’ve always said. It feels good to be relied on. That’s usually a good thing. I want to live up to that.”
Happ has been reliable over the past few seasons, which is certainly a plus as the Jays enter a critical opening series with the AL East favourite New York Yankees March 29. A team notorious for its slow starts could sure use a credible showing in the sevengame home stand to open the 2018 campaign.
Gibbons confirmed the rest of the rotation, an order that had become obvious over the past few days. A healthy and rejuvenated Aaron Sanchez is up after Happ, followed by Marco Estrada and Marcus Stroman, who is rapidly recovering from shoulder inflammation.
Newcomer Jaime Garcia will kick off the second series against the Chicago White Sox April 2.
“It’s a nice honour,” Gibbons said of giving Happ the start. “I think every starting pitcher in the big leagues would love that. There’s something about opening day. It’s just one game but there’s something, the focus and everything. You’ve got to be good to get that. In my time here with Happ there’s no one more deserving.”
The lefty certainly appreciates the confidence Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker have shown in him.
“I haven’t always had that,” Happ said.
“After being here the last few years and great experiences for the most part, it’s nice to feel that confidence they have in me and the trust level. That’s something that as a player you strive for.”
After his brilliant effort on Monday against the Atlanta Braves, Sanchez seems poised to return to his pre-blister 2016 form.
And rewarding him with the second spot in the rotation will give the young right-hander a chance to prove it in an important early-season start.
“It’s huge for the team and for him personally,” Gibbons said of Sanchez’s form this spring. “For him it answers a lot of questions and his finger has been fine. He’s going to be a key guy for this organization for a lot of years. I know he’s pretty excited and feeling good.
“We all think he’s got a chance to be one of the better ones in baseball for who knows how long. He’s got that ability. He’s still a young kid.”
With the Jays’ announcement on Tuesday, the first-round pitching matchups are set for the four-game opening weekend showdown with the Yanks.
Happ will face Luis Severino, also getting the first opening-day assignment of his career.
Next up it will be Sanchez versus Masahiro Tanaka, Estrada versus CC Sabathia and Stroman facing Sonny Gray.
Overall, Gibbons likes the look of his rotation even though second time through, it will be lefties back-to-back.
“First off, they’re all good,” Gibbons said.
“We like their ability and we like that there is a different look. You’ve got a couple of powers in there and a couple of them are ground ballers. They’re all capable of getting strikeouts, too. It’s a good group.”
Estrada got his final serious bit of spring work done on Tuesday in a rain-shortened 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Spectrum Field.
The right-hander allowed four hits over five innings, striking out five and giving up two runs versus the Phillies.
“I feel great physically and mentally,” said Estrada, who threw 84 pitches. “I like where we’re at, all of us, not just me.
“The four other guys are ready to go. They’ve all been pitching their butts off. It’s nice to see. but we’re all just ready to get the season started. You get to that point where you feel like you’re wasting bullets.”