IMPORTS SET TO COMPETE
JAYS MANA GER SEES NO PROBLEM WITH NEW PITCHERS SWITCHING FROM NA TIONA L TO AMERICAN LEAG UE
If there’s a transition for the 60 per cent of the Blue Jays starting rotation that is migrating from the National League, it isn’t expected to be significant.
Same strike zone, same pitch mix and a bunch of new stadiums pretty much covers it.
But for one hitter, anyway, the exit of pitcher Hyun- Jin Ryu away from the NL will be a welcome one.
Pittsburgh Pirates allstar first baseman Josh Bell believes Ryu was one of the toughest starters in the league when he was unleashing his magic for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Ryu’s disgusting man. He’s filthy,” Bell said in a recent interview. “He’s one of those guys where I’m happy he’s out of the National League. He’s just a great pitcher. That change- up of his is spot- on. It’s elite. He trusts his stuff. You can’t pitch the way he pitches without that trust.”
Bell shared some thoughts on the other two NL imports due to join Ryu on manager Charlie Montoyo’s five- man starting crew.
“( Tanner) Roark is a guy who is really good at hitting his spots,” Bell said of the right- hander who the Jays signed to a two- year, US$ 24- million deal. “He’s not overpowering, but he knows how to pitch. He’s a guy with a game plan and he follows that game plan. A smart pitcher.”
Chase Anderson, who was shelled by the Pirates ( and the gusty winds) in Friday’s 19-13 loss at TD Ballpark, is another that Bell believes can challenge hitters with his versatility.
“Anderson has some plus stuff and he messes with his timing from time to time,” Bell said. “I like him. He’s a good pitcher.”
As for the transition to the new league, Jays manager Charlie Montoyo doesn’t expect there to be issues.
“At the end of the day, they know how to pitch,” Montoyo said. “They’re going to see the game reports and the scouting reports and they’re going to do well. They’re going to compete.”
GAME ON
The Jays’ renovated TD Ballpark was not the place to be for a flyball pitcher on Friday afternoon. Just ask Toronto starter Chase Anderson.
The wind was blowing strong and gusting stronger to the outfield in a game that had a combined 11 home runs and Anderson was the first pitching victim. The right- hander, who the Jays acquired in a trade with Milwaukee, allowed six runs on seven hits — including three homers.
Given the time of year and the conditions, however, Anderson was able to shrug off the effort, especially when almost anything hit in the air left the yard.
“There were a couple of balls that just kind of got wind- blown, it’s just a part of spring training,” said Anderson, who became the first Jays starter to throw into the fourth inning this year. “You always try to make good pitches so that doesn’t happen, but sometimes the ball just kind of carries when the wind’s blowing out and you can’t do anything about it. My goal is to control what I can control and try to get guys out early in the count.”
It was that kind of day all around ... three Jays pitchers allowed six runs or more on Friday — Anderson, T. J. Zeuch and Ryan Dull — as the Jays fell to 6-5-2. In total, there were a combined 32 runs scored on 31 hits.
When Bo Bichette beat out an infield single in the third, it continued his recent hot streak. After getting just one hit in his first 13 at-bats this spring, Bichette has four hits in his past three game.
How’s this for infielder Joe Panik’s run of 11 plate appearances, which included a third- inning homer on Friday. He’s had a hit or walk in eight of them plus reached on an error.
TEOSCAR RESTS
A sore groin has kept outfielder Teoscar Hernandez sidelined for the better part of the week, something the team isn’t expecting to be serious.
“He’s kind of sore right now, not that bad, but when somebody’s sore, I’m not going to rush him,” Montoyo said. “We’ve got plenty of time.”
Hernandez has appeared in six games getting 14 atbats and on Friday he took batting practice. Montoyo said that when he returns to game action, Hernandez will see some time in centre field as well as his regular duties in right.
ESPINAL IMPRESSES
Of interest to Jays fans is following the progress of pieces acquired in the roster purge prior to each of the past couple of summer trade deadlines.
One of those making an impression so far this spring is utility infielder Santiago Espinal, who came over in the deal that sent Steve Pearce to the Red Sox in 2018. Espinal has been a solid 4- for-11 with a home run and a pair of doubles.
“Nice contact hitter,” Montoyo said. “He puts the ball in play and has good at- bats. So far with everything I’ve seen, he’s played very well.”
FIGHT FOR FIFTH
Did allowing three home runs in two- and- change innings of work on Thursday expedite Shun Yamaguchi’s journey to the Jays bullpen?
No t according to Montoyo.
“Yamaguchi is still in,” the manager said. “I don’t go by one outing. His first outing was OK, his second outing was outstanding, and ( on Thursday) he struggled a little bit because his split didn’t have the good action.
But he’s still competing for the fifth spot for sure.
“One thing about Yamaguchi is if he doesn’t make the starter he’ll be in the bullpen. Either way he’s on the team.”
It’s widely believed that Trent Thornton has the upper hand given that he has yet to allow a run in his five innings of work thus far.
“We’ve still got three weeks left,” Montoyo said. “It’s a competition. It’s up for grabs.”
CENTRE STAGE
When the Jays front office opted not to add a proven centre- fielder in its off- season shopping, the spot went to Randal Grichuk by default.
Grichuk isn’t looking at it that way, however, and sounds motivated for the challenge.
He’s also keen to show he can play the position that he broke into the major leagues with back in 2016 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I know that going into 2016 my knee was pretty banged up and wasn’t where it should have been,” said Grichuk, who belted his first homer of the Grapefruit League season in Friday’s loss against the Pirates. “Playing out there every day was tough. I wanted to be out there so I did and it probably hurt me defensively. I had some bad numbers and moved over to left.
“But I’m healthy now and excited to get out there and show them who I can be.”
Besides his game action down here, Grichuk spends a fair bit of time shagging in centre during batting practice to help his visuals.
“It just helps me catch the angle of the swing in centre, being able to read the swing is something you need because all the spots are different,” Grichuk said. “I’m pretty confident in my abilities to go out there this summer. My ( defensive) numbers are going to be better than in the past because of lingering injuries.”
TV TIMEOUT
Yes, the third weekend of Grapefruit League games is upon us and yes, for the third consecutive week Rogers Sportsnet will not be producing a game played by the Rogers-owned Blue Jays.
You’ll see Saturday’s game against the Red Sox — featuring the third appearance of top prospect Nate Pearson — but it will be via the NESN feed. The first televised game featuring the familiar voices of Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler won’t air until next Saturday.
It’s a bad look for the network that carries all 162 regular-season games. With a new stadium and a number of new faces, the rights holder/ corporate partner is shortchanging fans. And rumbles persist that the Jays front office isn’t pleased about it.
AROUND THE BASES
Pearson will follow starter Thornton on Saturday and Montoyo said he will target a pitch count of between 45 and 50. As he did when he came in for the fourth inning in Bradenton this past Sunday, Pearson will go through his normal long-tossing routine on a back field rather than coming in with a traditional reliever warm- up ... Vlad Guerrero Jr. is still a sight to see, even in the wind. A day after, the buzzing had barely died down regarding the monster homer Guerrero hit out of the park over in Clearwater. On Friday, he rode the wind to hit back-toback shots out at TD Ballpark — one bouncing off the roof of the Westjet Flight Deck and the other sailing over the batter’s eye in centre ... With the minor league camp up and running, expect the Jays to reduce the roster from the current number of 65 sometime this weekend ... The Pirates touched the Jays for a whopping seven home runs on Friday.