BLUE JAYS WATCH
Pannone fastball has jump
One of the more impressive aspects of Thomas Pannone’s MLB starting debut on Wednesday was the fact that he stymied the Baltimore Orioles by relying heavily on a fastball that averages 89 miles per hour.
But it’s the way the lefthander delivers and uses the fastball, along with his curve ball and changeup, that made him so hard to hit in Toronto’s 6-0 victory, running their record to 12-1 against the Orioles this year.
“His fastball plays a lot higher than 89-90, plays like 92-93,” said catcher Danny
Jansen. “I think he hides it really well, then uses his changeup off that. He throws inside, pretty high spin rate guy, too. But I think he just hides it, he commands it.
“He threw some good changeups (too),” added Jansen. “But like I said, his (fastball) jumps on you.”
Jansen, who has caught Pannone in the minors, said he couldn’t be happier for his battery mate and friend.
“It’s amazing. It’s awesome. He earned it,” said Jansen, who went 0-for-2 with a walk on Wednesday, ending his six-game hit streak to start his MLB career. “He’s an ultra competitor, he’s an awesome dude, he works his tail off and that shows on what he did on the field (Wednesday).”
Pannone threw 108 pitches after seven innings and manager John Gibbons would have been hardpressed to run him out for the eighth even if his no-hitter was intact. It’s one of those decisions that managers can’t win. Do they pull the pitcher to save his arm and end the no-hit bid before the game is over? Or does do they leave him out there and risk damaging the arm?
In the end, it didn’t matter as Pannone gave up a hit to Trey Mancini to start the seventh and that made Gibbons’ decision to pull him after seven easy.
“I wasn’t saying I was rooting for him to give up a hit, but it didn’t bother me when he did,” said Gibbons with a laugh.“(But) he did a helluva job,” added Gibbons. “It was a great way to make your starting debut.”
BREAKING DOWN THE WIN
With home runs in four straight games, Kendrys
Morales became the 15th Jays player (21st time) to hit a home run in at least four consecutive games (last:
Edwin Encarnacion — from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, 2015). Morales, who had a homer and single on Wednesday, extended his hit streak to seven games and is hitting .565 (13-for-23) with five HR, 10-RBI and a 1.817 OPS over that stretch.
He has the longest active home run streak in the Majors ... Pannone was the 14th starter used by the Jays this season, tying the franchise record set in 2017. He also was the sixth pitcher this season to make his first MLB start, a new club high ...
Devon Travis hit a three-run shot in the eighth to snap a 0-for-18 stretch and has now hit 34 home runs as a Jays second basemen to tie Orlando Hudson for third
all-time (Aaron Hill, 90, Roberto Alomar, 54) ...
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The Blue Jays’ 2019 regular season schedule was unveiled and one of the highlights is the fact that there will be 20 Interleague games including matchups against NL West clubs the Dodgers (in L.A. Aug 20-22), the Giants (in San Francisco (May 14-15 and at home April 23-24), the San Diego Padres (at home
May 24-26), the Rockies (May 31-June 2 in Colorado), the Atlanta Braves (Aug. 27-28 at home, Sept. 2-3 in Atlanta) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (June 7-9 at home).
The opening weekend series will be against the Detroit Tigers starting March 28 as part of a sevengame home stand.
The Jays will once again host Mother’s Day at Rogers Centre (May12 vs. the Chicago White Sox). They will close out the May long weekend at home with a game on Victoria Day (May 20 vs. Boston). The traditional Canada Day game will be at the Rogers Centre against the Kansas City Royals. The annual “home” series in Seattle will be Aug. 23-25. The Jays wrap up the regular season with a six-game homestand against Baltimore (Sept. 23-25) and Tampa Bay Rays (Sept. 27-29).