Six spring training storylines
After third losing season, there are as many questions as answers
Baseball is on deck, with Blue Jays pitchers and catchers set to report to Dunedin, Fla., for the unofficial start of the 2020 season.
The Jays finished last year with as many questions as answers following a 67-95 season. The promotion and production of top infield prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio offered some hope amid a third consecutive losing season, while pitching, the outfield and overall health were among the trouble spots.
Team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins were active in the offseason and some of the biggest questions have already been answered. They added projected ace Hyun-Jin Ryu and workhorses Tanner Roark and Chase Anderson to the starting rotation, and brought back Matt Shoemaker. Travis Shaw was signed to handle first base following Justin Smoak’s departure via free agency. And manager Charlie Montoyo said last month that he plans to split the catching duties between Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire.
Here are some other storylines in play as the Jays return to the field in the Sunshine State:
HOW FIT IS VLAD?
Getting Guerrero into better shape was a top priority for the Jays, who took a more handson approach to his off-season regimen. He took it to heart, posting videos of many of his workouts on social media, and told reporters at last month’s Winter Fest that he felt lighter and hopes to play 150 games at third base — up from 94 in his rookie season.
Spring training will offer the first look at what effect the work has had on his defence and batting stroke — and hint at whether he’ll remain at the hot corner through the coming season.
WHO’S THE FIFTH STARTER?
The list of contenders starts with right-hander Trent Thornton, who got a vote of confidence from Atkins at the end of last season. Thornton went 6-9 in his rookie season with a 4.84 ERA over 32 appearances. His 154 1⁄3 innings were tops on the club by far.
Others in the mix: lefty Ryan Borucki, who needs to prove he can stay healthy; Japanese right-hander Shun Yamaguchi, who will land in the bullpen if he doesn’t start; and lefty Anthony Kay, who impressed in a small sample size as a September call-up after arriving from the Mets in the Marcus Stroman trade.
WHO’S IN THE BULLPEN?
Ken Giles, Sam Gaviglio and Wilmer Font will be back, and newly acquired Anthony Bass and Rafael Dolis should be pencilled in. Beyond that it’s wide open, unless Yamaguchi lands here.
HOW CLOSE IS NATE PEARSON?
The Jays’ top prospect is ranked No. 2 among all righthanders in the minors according to MLB Pipeline, but don’t expect the flame-throwing Pearson to break camp with the big club. The 23-year-old has just three starts under his belt at triple-A and the Jays will want to see more at that level before he makes his MLB debut. Like last season with Guerrero, service time also comes into play.
If Pearson spends less than 172 days in the majors this season, it won’t cost the Jays a year of contract control. It’s less of an issue than it was with Guerrero, since Pearson has never pitched more than 101 2⁄ 3 innings in a season and the Jays wouldn’t ramp up his workload from there as a rookie, but he’s expected crack the majors some time in 2020.
WHO’S IN THE OUTFIELD?
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez are the favourites, although it isn’t clear which one will start in centre. The battle for two backup spots will play out in the spring and there are several candidates. Anthony Alford, Jonathan Davis, Derek Fisher and Billy McKinney are all in the mix, along with nonroster invitees Josh Palacios and Forrest Wall.
Palacios spent 2019 with double-A New Hampshire, while Wall only has 14 games at the triple-A level. There’s no clear front-runner, though, so a dark horse could break through.
WHAT ABOUT ROWDY?
The addition of Shaw leaves Rowdy Tellez’s role up in the air. MLB’s expansion of rosters by one to 26 this coming season makes it easier for the Jays to carry Tellez as a part-time DH who can fill in at first on occasion. Still, the 24-year-old slugger will need a strong spring to solidify his spot after hitting just .227 in 2019, albeit with 21 home runs.