Hutchison shakes off self-inflicted beaning
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA.— Among the most dangerous things a pitcher can do, they say, is issue a walk to leadoff an inning. Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison found that out in an unconventional way on Sunday afternoon when he was plunked in the back of the head by his own catcher, who was trying to throw out the runner at second. Hutchison had turned to watch the play at second and was crouched down when he was hit by A.J. Jimenez’s low throw.
“That’s what you get for being dumb and walking the leadoff guy,” he joked afterward.
Hutchison showed no ill-effects from the beaning but left the game on the advice of training staff. He said if it were a regular season game, he would have argued to stay in.
“I knew I was fine, but it’s one of those things, you know how it goes with the head. So I had to come out.”
JAYS VICTORIOUS
On the back of a three-run eighth inning, the Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 Sunday to improve their exhibition record to16-5. Nine different players collected hits, including Ryan Goins, who drove in his 10th run to move into a tie for the team lead with Michael Saunders and Troy Tulowitzki
HUTCH SOLID
Prior to his abrupt exit, Hutchison had been pitching well, allowing just one run on one hit and three walks over four innings.
“That’s probably the frustrating part about today, having to come out and not being able to go deep into the game,” he said.
The 25-year-old, who has been a mainstay in the Jays’ rotation the last two seasons, is likely headed to Triple-A Buffalo at least to start the year and will be the sixth or seventh starting pitcher on the depth chart.
CASILLA DEBUTS
The Jays signed veteran middle infielder Alexi Casilla to a minorleague deal last week, and he made his spring-training debut on Sunday, going 2-for-2 while also stealing a base and making a throwing error. Casilla spent nearly a decade in the big leagues as a backup infielder, but hasn’t seen much major-league action since 2013. The 31-year-old Dominican split last year between the Tigers’ and Rays’ Triple-A affiliates.
DOWN THE ORDER
Left fielder Saunders, once considered a potential leadoff candidate, will likely hit towards the bottom of the batting order to start the season, Gibbons said Sunday. With Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Tulowitzki in line to bat second through fifth, Saunders — a rare left-handed bat in the lineup — will either hit before or after Russell Martin in the sixth or seventh spot.
“I think we’re so strong in the middle I don’t think you want to disrupt that at all,” Gibbons said.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Jays will host the Philadelphia Phillies Monday afternoon in their penultimate game in Dunedin.
Marcus Stroman is the scheduled starter, followed by relievers Jesse Chavez, Ryan Tepera and Randy Choate.