Morales blasts off on Rays, Biagini on deck
Any Tom, Dick or Harry. Or maybe just a guy named Joe. Fill in the blanks, really, for the Blue Jays. Starter-challenged — two down, a third last seen departing with armpit pang — and their most recent piece of arm taffy now among the not-so-dearlydeparted.
That would be Mat Latos, expelled out the revolving door of Toronto starters on Friday — designated for assignment, the baseball pink slip. So, looking for a job with his ninth major league team. Hardly anybody waved goodbye.
The Joe, of course, is Joe Biagini, screw-twisted — fittingly, for a screwball — into the starting gig here on Sunday.
Followed by Marcus Stroman when the Jays return home to host the Edwin Encarnacion Indians on Monday and then Tuesday … well, a starter to be named later, hauled up from Triple-A Buffalo.
Dire days for the Jays. And in the midst of all this WHAT-THE-HELL-IS-HAPPENING zeitgeist, venturing again into the Black Hole of Tropicana Field, haul- ing an all-time record of 69-98 and facing nemesis knave Chris Archer.
But also packing home-run TNT, albeit detonated rather late in an 8-4 win.
A brace of jacks from Kendrys Morales led Toronto’s onslaught. The first one erased Tampa’s 3-1 lead and chased Archer out of the game. Morales is Archer’s personal nemesis, entering the game hitting .591 against him.
The second one was off reliever Jumbo Diaz in the seventh, two-run moon shot. By then, Archer had been rendered a game footnote, despite racking up 11 Ks in six-plus innings.
To back up slightly, a huge error by Chris Coghlin on what should have been a double-play ball induced by Aaron Loup in the seventh, came around to put the Rays up 4-3. But the Jays struck back in the bottom, off Morales’ bat. And it was déjà-vu a frame later: Leadoff double by Devon Travis, Kevin Pillar singling down the left-field line, driving in the 4-4 run, a Russell Martin walk and then Morales turning on a 98-m.p.h. fastball — three runs scored — before Justin Smoak went ditto HR, with his fifth dinger of the season.
As a humongous aside: Morales is now .600 off Archer, 15-for-25.
This game shape-shifted several times.
Returning to the scene of the crime, the debacle, the career horror of five earned runs in a third of an inning back on April 7, was Francisco Liriano. One (1) of two (2) completely healthy and hale Toronto starters left. This time he lasted 32⁄ innings,
3 labouring mightily — 96 pitches. Roof caved in (if only, in this hideous dome park) when Liriano surrendered back-to-back jacks, to Daniel Robertson and Derek Norris, single/ hit batter/walk to load the bases, then walked in the 3-0 run. Adios Francisco.
Out of the group relief effort, the W would be earned by Loup.
A ’pen which will no longer be home to Biagini. At least for a while, as the Jays reconfigure their armstaff.
“We were gearing him up possibly at spring training, were playing with that a little bit,” reminded manager John Gibbons in a pre-game confab studded with roster announcements. “Who knows what happens with it. Who knows how long it lasts.’’
But Biagini threw a MLB-careerhigh 41pitches over three innings against the Yankees on Wednesday and his 182/3 frames out of the ’pen leads all American League relievers. So it would seem the least altering of makeshift fits.
“He can’t throw a lot more than that on Sunday,” Gibbons continued. “There’s a chance we could build him up if we keep him in that role.”
Thus transitioning backwards to the starter Biagini had been in the Giants’ minor-league system, before acquired by Toronto as a Rule 5 uncut gem. “He’s got a chance to be a good one,” said Gibbons. “Deep down I think that’s his desire. Everybody wants to be a major-league starter.”
Biagini is far from everybody. He’s his own unique, quirky self. But, yeah, starting is where it’s at. Although he did, typically Pluto-circling, characterize his upgrade as a “secret mission.”
“The exploration of finger-painting and the Brazilian rainforest. Back by Sunday is the goal, but you never know with flights these days. Might get kicked off or something.”
Confirmation of Biagini’s elevation — consequence of pitching staff injuries and shaky performances — was delivered only late Friday afternoon.
“They just wanted to make sure that I was mission-ready for my secret mission. They did not really ask me anything. I think they felt pretty confident . . . they didn’t expect me to turn down the offer. Although I have been getting pretty comfortable with the bullpen.’’
Indeed, Biagini has been the most reliable arm out of the ’pen. But with J.A. Happ (elbow soreness) and Aaron Sanchez (split fingernail) on the DL, the team has gone begging for moundsmen. Starting pitching was supposed to be their ace in the hole this season.
The only hole visible from here is the one the Jays have dug themselves into, with a 9-19 start. Bright side: Both Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki are hopeful for the upcoming homestand, Happ is playing catch without pain and Sanchez is scheduled to throw a side session here Saturday, possibly ready to resume starter duties next weekend.
Biagini’s conversion, even if only for the short haul, may seem a heaven-sent solution for Toronto’s arm woes. But the ’pen dominoes clatter as a result.
“It’s going to be a big hole down there,” said Gibbons. “He’s been so good down there for us.”
Ergo, an adjustment flurry over the previous 24 hours: Claiming righthander Neil Ramirez off waivers from the Giants (ERA 9.64); ditto claim of RHP Cesar Valdez from the Athletics, optioned directly to Buffalo.
Gibbons, further, has a Jason Grilli problem. The heart-and-soul of the ’pen, provider of relief mojo for Toronto in 2016, the 40-year-old Grilli has surrendered five runs in his last two outings. Wayward slider is the culprit.
“His velocity’s good,” said Gibbons. “He’s making too many mistakes out over the plate.”
So, keeping Grilli away from high leverage situations and relieving the reliever of his set-up role.
“You can let him sit down there and rot either. He’s too valuable to us. If we’re going to make a comeback, we need him to be good.”
At the other end of the pitching chain, the Jays are still a starter arm shy. Though Marcus Stroman is “good to go” for Monday, after departing with axilla discomfort just three innings into his last start, Tuesday’s starter is … pending from Buffalo.
Speaking of armpits …