THE STARTERS: AN OVERHAUL FROM LAST APRIL
MARCUS STROMAN
Ace of the staff is a tag Stroman is likely uncomfortable with, given his team-first mindset. He assumes the mantle held at the end of the season by his friend David Price, who left for a seven-year, $217-million (U.S.) deal with the Red Sox. Stroman earned the right to start opening day after posting a 4-0 record with a 1.67 ERA in September following a near-impossible return from a spring-training knee injury. He will also start the home opener against Boston, and has “sky’s-the-limit” potential for 2016.
MARCO ESTRADA
He established himself with an outstanding 2015 (13-8, 3.19 ERA), and signed a two-year, $26-million contract in the off-season. The Jays said this week he’ll likely begin the season on the disabled list and his first start will be April 10 against Boston. He suffered a back muscle strain in February after trying the Dragon Flag, an abs exercise credited to Bruce Lee. Estrada didn’t pitch until almost four weeks into spring training and mostly out of simulated games at the minor league complex.
R.A. DICKEY
The personable knuckleballer enters his 14th major league season and will decide over the course of the year if this will be his last. He posted an 11-11 record, 3.91 ERA in 2015, with the Jays picking up the $12-million option on his contract for 2016. He is two games over .500 since joining the Jays in 2013 (39-37). He underwent knee surgery in the off-season and came into spring trying to up the velocity on both his knuckleball and fastball.
J.A. HAPP (LH)
The lefty is on his second tour of duty with the Jays, who signed him to a three-year, $36-million deal in the off-season. Happ opened eyes around baseball with a 1.85 ERA in 11 starts with Pittsburgh to finish off 2015. He started the season in Seattle, where he had an ERA of 2.30 in April, but 4.64 at the time of the trade to the Pirates. Used “spin rate” technology to tighten his breaking stuff and increase his velocity in Pittsburgh. He will be looking to build on that success in Toronto, where he had 50 starts between 2012-14, posting a 4.39 ERA.
AARON SANCHEZ
This is one impressive right-hander, with retired pitchers going to Jays management during spring training saying Sanchez is “doing things” they never dreamed of when they pitched. If his changeup and curveball come around, he has the chance to be the most dominating starter in the AL after his success as a setup man the past two seasons. He beat out veteran Gavin Floyd for the last spot in the rotation. He has been the team’s best pitcher this spring — posting a 1.35 ERA in 20 innings. Sanchez has little experience as a starter and came to spring training packing 20 extra pounds to increase his durability.