The Blue Jays have been in the market for a little rotation depth, and bringing veteran Mat Latos to camp on a minor-league deal could solve the problem.
Starter coming off injuries could offer rotation depth or fill hole in bullpen
DUNEDIN, FLA.— On Thursday afternoon, at the exact time the Blue Jays were announcing the signing of freeagent right-hander Mat Latos to a minor-league contract, the man himself walked through the door and into spring training. He will be competing for either a starting role or a spot in the opening day bullpen.
The 29-year-old native of Alexandria, Va. split time between the White Sox and the Nationals in 2016, hampered by swelling of the left knee, as the result of surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in 2014. He has worked hard to get back into shape.
“I’ve had a rough go at it the past two years and there’s a lot of earning that needs to be done,” Latos admitted. “It’s not just going to be a handme-out, given sort of thing. I need to earn everything as it comes.”
Latos, an 11th-round pick of the Padres in 2006, has spent eight seasons in the big leagues, compiling a 71-58 record, with a 3.60 ERA in 194 games — 186 starts. Analytics have hampered his bid to re-establish himself. The numbers say that his average fastball velocity has dropped three miles-per-hour to 91.4 since 2009. It’s hard to attract interest in free agency with that hanging over your head.
“Let’s see, last year when I finished off with the Nationals, when I did make a start I was 92-94 and coming out of the pen I was 95-96 for an inning or two,” Latos said, with an edge to his voice.
“I feel like it was part of getting me healthy again and continuing to strengthen it. Something that I really committed to this off-season was working above and beyond to the point where I wanted to throw up on quite a few workouts, just so I know I’m really getting into really committing myself.”
The Jays have what seems like a set starting rotation, with Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman and Francisco Liriano. There is room for at least one pitcher in the bullpen, so barring an injury to a starter, even if manager John Gibbons stretches him out in Grapefruit League games, it seems like his best shot would be as a reliever, or a starter at Triple-A Buffalo.
“I’m willing to do whatever they need me to do, whatever that is,” Latos said. “I’m just going to take it day by day. I’m already two days late so I’m already behind schedule. I’m just going to take it as it comes, stay healthy and go from here. I’m happy to be just playing baseball. Let’s be honest.”
Latos seemed frustrated to be judged by analytics, in terms of his pitching velocity.
“It’s a new age in baseball,” he said. “You look at some of the stuff that they do, spin-rates and all that stuff. It’s getting down to a science, almost. Yeah, that stuff works, but I’m just looking at it as, if I’m getting outs, I’m getting outs. I don’t care what my spin-rate is, that kind of thing. I just look at the results. Am I getting outs? Am I being effective and so on?”
The first full-squad workout for the Jays is on Saturday.