Cecil’s shoulder woes could affect Jays’ closer situation
Toronto’s bullpen situation remains murky as veteran lefty shut down for at least week because of inflammation
CLEARWATER, FLA.— Perhaps the answer to the important question about who will open the season as the Blue Jays’ closer is moving toward an inevitable conclusion.
On Saturday, Brett Cecil stood in front of his locker at the Jays’ home park, before his team took a 15minute bus ride to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2, and explained why he has not been on the mound since logging one inning in the intra-squad game Monday. He has inflammation on the outside of his left shoulder.
Cecil missed a scheduled appearance on Friday against the Orioles. Instead, he underwent an MRI to identify the discomfort he was feeling. For the first time since establishing himself with the Blue Jays, the left-hander spent his off-season in Maryland instead of Florida. He flew down a week ahead of reporting date and began preparing.
But after one bullpen session, he was hit with a bout of the flu and missed his second throw day. He came out the next morning and tossed on flat ground before the Jays worked out but went home, still under the weather. The next day, Feb. 25, he was back at it.
Then came intra-squad and shutdown.
“Part of myself is to blame,” Cecil said. “When I did come back, I got after it a little bit too hard in that first ’pen of the spring. It was my first off-season away from Florida so I was obviously excited and I got all my throwing in, even throwing outside in 35-40 degree weather. I had no problems. It felt great when I was throwing up there. I came down here a week before I threw that ’pen and it felt great.
“I just think I got after it a little bit too hard that time when I came back (from the flu).”
Even though the Jays’ bulletin board showed Cecil scheduled to throw in a game Monday, he explained that won’t be happening.
In fact, after speaking with pitching coach Pete Walker, it’s been determined Cecil will take a week to 10 days off before throwing from a mound again.
“It’s not going to take three weeks,” Cecil assured. “But it’s definitely a lesson learned. When you get sick, you lose a lot more than you may feel. So definitely a lesson learned. If (being sick) were to happen again, maybe not throw a ’pen that day and maybe wait a few days to get some throwing in and then do it again. Thankfully it’s just inflammation, and that stuff can be taken care of very simply.”
If Cecil’s self-diagnosis is correct, then his down-time from moundwork would take him to St. Patrick’s Day, leaving 16 days to get ready before camp breaks and the Jays head to Montreal for two exhibitions. Part of the conversation with Walker focused on how much time it would take to et ready.
“Pete said he thinks it would be adequate if I got six outings at spring training,” the 28-year-old Cecil replied. “That wasn’t even including the two games up in Montreal. That’s what we’re shooting for and I think that’s right, that’s adequate enough.”
That being said, for Cecil to be considered ready to rumble, manager John Gibbons would want him to pitch back-to-back days before heading north. That does leave room for those six Grapefruit League outings, but that is barring any physical setbacks.
“Thankfully the MRI didn’t show anything as far as surgical procedures needed,” he said. “There is none of that. It is frustrating in that I can’t pitch in a game for another week, week and a half, but on the flip side it’s very comforting to know it’s not anything else that would take longer.”
So does this situation change Gib- bons’ view of where right-hander Aaron Sanchez might best help the 2015 effort moving forward? Can the Jays afford to arrive at the back half of the spring schedule with lingering uncertainty in the ninth inning? Sanchez at the moment is in the spring rotation, being stretched out start-by-start. That isn’t expected to change, at least for the immediate future.
“It always gets your attention because he’s one of your go-to guys,” Gibbons said of Cecil. “But it was good news. That puts a little more focus down there. With (Sanchez), we don’t know where he’s going to end up. We’re in a good spot either way I think, but it might make it more important.”
Gibbons talked about what would be needed for Cecil to prove he is ready, based on his shortened spring training. And if he is ready, can he be safely handed Casey Janssen’s closer mantle.
“It’s hard to say (if he has enough time),” Gibbons said. “He’s got to get probably a handful of (appearances). But you can tell. You watch these guys over the years, we’ve seen them enough you know how his stuff is.”
On Saturday, Mark Buehrle started against the Phillies and pitched two scoreless innings, as did Marco Estrada. Buehrle gave up two hits while Estrada retired all six batters he faced.
Meanwhile, right fielder Jose Bautista, after missing two games due to a strained right hamstring, is scheduled to play on Sunday against the Pirates and on Monday in Lakeland against the Tigers.