Borucki joins list of injured pitchers
Strong spring had left-hander on track to join rotation but that will have to wait
Ross Atkins set out a challenge for Ryan Borucki last winter, and doubled down on it early this spring by not guaranteeing the southpaw a spot in the Blue Jays rotation.
“Ryan has been incredible,” Atkins said in December, “but (for) players at that point in their career — (as) with Sean Reid-Foley and Thomas Pannone and Sam Gaviglio — the learning curve is steep and guys could make massive strides and guys could have setbacks.” Borucki has done both. The 24-year-old, who impressed in 17 starts as a rookie, appeared to running away with the battle for the final rotation spot, with a 3.24 ERA in 162⁄ in3 nings. It looked like he would open the season at the back of a group that should include Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Matt Shoemaker and Clayton Richard.
Then the Jays announced Saturday that Borucki will begin the season on the injured list with discomfort in his left elbow. He is expected to miss at least one start and will be re-evaluated on Monday.
“From what I know so far, it looks like it's going to be one start,” Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “But we'll go from there. You never know. We're not going to rush him, for sure.”
Borucki’s history is cause for concern. He missed the 2013 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and made only three minor-league appearances in 2015 after a second surgery to clean up the elbow. But the left-hander said the experience has taught him the difference between “good pain and bad pain” while insisting this delay was more precautionary than anything.
“Really, it was nothing to really worry about,” Borucki said.
Still, as much as they Jays said they prioritized improving their pitching depth during the off-season, they now find themselves selecting replacements for the rotation and the bullpen from the same small group of about 10 pitchers, few of whom have more than have more than three years of big-league experience. Relievers Ryan Tepera and John Axford were sidelined earlier in the week, with Axford released from his minor-league deal Saturday.
Right-hander Clay Buchholz is expected to join the rotation eventually, but he signed late and isn’t stretched out yet. The 12-year veteran also hasn’t pitched 170 innings in a season since 2014.
And none of the four players Montoyo listed as contenders to replace Borucki — Reid-Foley, Pannone, Gaviglio or Trent Thornton — has made a strong case to claim a spot in the big leagues.
á Thornton came over from Houston in a trade for Aledmys Diaz and has yet to make his big-league debut. He had his final spring audition on Saturday in a split squad game against the New York Yankees, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two and striking out four in 32⁄ innings. He finished his spring with 3 a 4.80 ERA.
DUNEDIN, FLA.— Clay Buchholz won’t be ready for opening day for a second straight year, but the veteran starter is happy with where he is at in his preparations for the season.
The 34-year-old right-hander, who missed all of 2017 and early 2018 after suffering a partial tear in his right flexor tendon, is working on making up for lost spring training time after signing with Toronto as a free agent in late February.
Buchholz felt good after pitching two innings in a minorleague game on Friday, happy to be back in a game scenario. He will now build up his pitch count by about 15 throws an outing, with the plan to reach 75 tosses before he joins the big-league team. That could happen as early as mid-April, according to general manager Ross Atkins.
“It’s a little different but you have to get your work in,” Buchholz said. “I’m not going to rush anything … I’d rather be healthy for the whole year rather than miss two months because I ramped up.”
Buchholz had a bounceback year in 2018 after joining the Arizona Diamondbacks in midMay. He made 16 starts, posting a 7-2 record and a 2.01 ERA while recording 81 strikeouts in 981⁄ 3 innings. He was shutdown in September because of a right elbow flexor strain but chalked it up to fatigue after a heavy workload following his year off. SPLIT SQUADS: The Jays won two games Saturday, beating the New York Yankees 7-3 in nearby Tampa and the Canadian junior national team 8-3 in Dunedin.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a tworun homer as Toronto rallied to beat the Yankees. Prospects Samad Taylor and Brandon Grudzielanek also drove in two runs apiece. Trent Thornton surrendered all three of the Yankees’ runs in the first inning on a three-run home run by Gleyber Torres.
Toronto spotted the junior team a two-run lead in the top of the third inning, thanks to a Tyrell Schofield-Sam double, then scored three runs in each of the third and fourth. First baseman Kacey Clemens and catcher Alejandro Kirk had two RBIs apiece. TOP CHOPS: Brandon Drury is giving the Jays another option at leadoff hitter. Manager Charlie Montoyo seemed settled on Randal Grichuk and Billy McKinney splitting that role, but Drury has been at the top of the lineup for the past four games. He is 3-for-12 with three RBIs and two walks in that time. Drury, Toronto’s opening day third baseman, is hitting .327 with a 1.001 OPS this spring. RUMOUR HAS IT: A report in the San Francisco Chronicle suggested the Giants are in search of outfield help and have explored a trade for Kevin Pillar. The Jays centre-fielder has hit .229 in 17 games this spring. LOOSE ENDS: The Jays released Canadian reliever John Axford, who is dealing with a stress reaction in his right elbow, from the minor-league deal he signed last month ... Toronto reportedly gave reliever Bud Norris a $100,000 retention bonus to remain with the club.