Blue Jays solidify rotation with lefty
Signing of Garcia likely relegates Biagini to bullpen duty to start 2018 season
The Toronto Blue Jays bolstered their starting rotation Thursday by signing left-handed pitcher Jaime Garcia to a one-year contract worth US$8 million with a club option for the 2019 season at $10 million with a $2 million buyout.
Garcia, 31, gives the Jays a solid fifth stater in a rotation that, if healthy, could again be one of the best in the AL.
The native of Reynosa, Mexico appeared for three clubs last season posting a 5-10 record with a 4.41 ERA in 27 starts among the Atlanta Braves (18), Minnesota Twins (1) and New York Yankees (8).
The 6-2, 215-pound lefty has a career record of 67-55 with an ERA of 3.69 in 185 games including 174 starts over nine seasons.
There are four pitches in Garcia’s arsenal: a fastball that reaches about 90 mph, a curve ball, slider and change-up. St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny has called the movement on Garcia’s pitches “baffling” and “wipeout.”
By signing Garcia, the Jays will in all likelihood move right-hander Joe Biagini back to the bullpen where he has had success. It was when he became an emergency starter that Biagini struggled, posting a 3-13 record with a 5.34 ERA. Biagini showed up at camp much more lean and ready to be a starter.
John Gibbons is usually in an upbeat mood — unless you disparage Texas or country music. But the Jays’ manager was even more positive than usual on Wednesday afternoon when asked about the catching talent in the Toronto system.
Gibbons, a former major-league catcher, ran off a list of three young catchers — Reese McGuire, Danny Jansen and Max Pentecost — whom he believes are potential stars in the making, and not far off from making the majors.
McGuire, 22, whom the Jays acquired from the Pirates in the Drew Hutchison deal in 2016, was named the sixth-best catching prospect by MLB heading into the 2017 minor league season. Though he only appeared in 45 games last season, he hit a career-high six homers with a .295 average and 28 RBI.
Jansen, 22, played at three levels in the minors, finishing at triple-A Buffalo where he hit .328 in 21 games including a .975 OPS.
Pentecost, 24, was a first-round pick by the Jays, 11th overall in 2014, and is finally back playing after suffering through injuries.
None of the three are expected to start the season with Toronto unless the Jays make a move. Luke Maile will likely back up Russell Martin this year.
One of the newest Jays, outfielder Curtis Granderson, expressed his excitement about playing for the league’s only Canadian franchise. The Jays are the fifth MLB team Granderson has played for, following earlier stops with Detroit, New York Yankees, New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It’s been a city that I’ve enjoyed out of all the cities I’ve travelled to throughout the world. And if you don’t know much about me, I travel a lot,” the 36-year-old said about Toronto. “I’ve been to over 30 countries and I’ve seen a lot of different things. Toronto reminds me a lot of home (Chicago). (It’s) very safe, very clean, very diverse, good food, good shopping, a mixture of people with a very passionate fan base.”
Playing against the Jays, Granderson said he has witnessed first-hand how intense Canadian baseball fans can get.
“Rightfully so. You’ve got a whole country cheering for one team and I think that’s a really cool thing,” he said.
The three-time all-star will likely spend most of his time platooning in left field with Steve Pearce.
“You’re going to roll out the best lineup that you think gives you the best opportunity to win and there’s a lot of guys who can play in the outfield for this team,” said Granderson. “So whether that’s left, centre or right, I have the flexibility to play all three. I think it will be up to Gibby to figure out what’s the best lineup on that particular day.”
Gibbons suggested the club’s three outstanding outfield prospects — Anthony Alford, Dwight Smith Jr. and J.D. Davis — will start the season at triple-A Buffalo (perhaps with Teoscar Hernandez and/or Dalton Pompey).
“They’ve got to go down and play, otherwise, I think you stunt their growth because they’re still learning and developing,” the manager said.
“If something happens at the beginning of the season or a couple of months in, that’s a different story. But I still think they need to go down and prove themselves at that level.”