‘Time is not on our side right now’
With opening day approaching, health will be the main factor in Blue Jays’ roster decisions
Opening day is just around the corner and the Blue Jays intend on using what little time they have to pore over the final decisions for their 26-man roster.
Bowden Francis is set to open the season in the rotation, Brian Serven will be the backup catcher and utility man Ernie Clement has all but officially won a spot on the bench. Elsewhere, questions remain about the pitching staff and reserves as camp enters its final days.
“Time is not on our side right now,” Jays manager John Schneider admitted Saturday. “There’s a lot going on between the rotation and bullpen. It’s not so much about performance, it’s how everything lines up in the next couple days.”
The Jays have until Thursday at 12 p.m. ET to announce their 26-man roster. Here’s a closer look at the jobs still up for grabs:
The starting rotation
The Jays’ rotation will include José Berríos, Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi and Bowden Francis. The final spot belongs to ace Kevin Gausman, but only if he proves his arm is stretched out enough following a delayed start to camp with shoulder fatigue.
Gausman has yet to appear in a game this spring. That will change Monday when he starts either on the minor-league side or in the Jays’ spring finale versus Pittsburgh. If he requires more time, right-hander Mitch White becomes his logical replacement. White limited the Red Sox to one run across 5â innings Friday.
Other pitchers still in the mix include Paolo Espino and Wes Parsons while top prospect Ricky Tiedemann seems more likely to open the season in the minors. The hope is that if Gausman isn’t ready to go, he’ll only miss a couple starts.
“I don’t think we feel pressure, I don’t feel the pressure,” Kikuchi said when asked about stepping up after he allowed eight runs on six hits and three walks in his final spring start. “But I think it’s important that we’re in a good position, record wise, by the time (Gausman and Alek Manoah) come back.”
The bullpen
It is becoming increasingly unlikely that Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson will be ready for opening day. Romano has been out since March 10 with inflammation in his right elbow while Swanson hasn’t pitched since March 13 because of a tight forearm. Both have resumed playing catch but neither has thrown off a mound since getting hurt.
Relievers typically don’t need much time to get ready for the season, but the Jays will want at least a couple of outings from each before giving them the green light. That’s unlikely to happen before Thursday, which creates two additional openings in the bullpen, bringing the total to three.
If Gausman is cleared for opening day, White will head to the bullpen. If White is required to start, the Jays will look elsewhere to find a long reliever with Parsons and Espino the leading candidates. That leaves Nate Pearson and Zach Pop as the favourites for the final two spots, but the Jays could decide to carry another multi-inning arm instead.
“When you’re talking about leverage guys, it’s not easy to just throw other leverage guys in those spots,” Schneider said, while referencing Romano and Swanson. “You don’t just replace those guys. Length could be a part of it, and matchups will be a part of it.”
The 26th man
Joey Votto seems destined for a bigleague return at some point, but it won’t be next week. The veteran slugger was a late signing and then sprained his ankle following a home run in his lone plate appearance of the spring March 17. He is expected to open the year in the minors, which leaves a bench spot up for grabs.
Daniel Vogelbach would be the leading candidate to win that job, but he signed a minor-league deal that calls for him to make $2 million (U.S.). That’s not a lot of money for a team with a competitive balance tax payroll of approximately $247 million, but it might be more than the Jays are willing to pay if they expect to use him for only a couple weeks.
If the Jays decide they don’t require Vogelbach as insurance, lefthanded hitting outfielder Nathan Lukes could become a temporary solution for the bench.
Worth monitoring
Centre-fielder Kevin Kiermaier was forced to depart Saturday’s game against the Tigers in the first inning after he fouled a ball off his right knee. Kiermaier initially appeared to be in a lot of pain, but he was later diagnosed with a contusion and no medical imaging was required. He remains on track for opening day.