Rehabbing relievers not sharp but they’re close
N.Y. The Blue Jays missed the late-inning relief combo of Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson for the first time Wednesday night.
There hadn’t been many tight games in the first fortnight of the season, with only two saves recorded by a Toronto reliever, both by Chad Green, and no blown saves. Only two of the first dozen games were within a run going into the ninth inning.
But the Jays’ series finale against Seattle on Wednesday was tied 1-1 after seven innings, after eight and after nine. With Green unavailable after closing out Monday’s and Tuesday’s wins and Yimi Garcia having thrown two perfect innings in relief of starter Yusei Kikuchi, there weren’t many choices going into the 10th inning.
Trevor Richards had appeared in seven of the season’s first 12 games, and Nate Pearson, Mitch White and Paolo Espino are seen as lateinning options. That left only a pair of struggling left-handers, and it was Tim Mayza who got the call and immediately gave up a two-run homer to Cal Raleigh.
The Jays would have like to have Swanson or Romano for that spot and, with the two beginning rehab stints in Buffalo on Thursday, they’ve taken a major step on the road back.
Both right-handers were able to get their work in before the rain came in Buffalo, though neither managed to finish their inning, each hitting a pitch count before recording a third out.
Swanson started the top of the fifth, following top prospect Ricky Tiedemann’s strong 3â-inning performance. The 20-year-old lefthander gave up a couple of solo home runs but struck out seven while walking three.
The 30-year-old Swanson, who has been sidelined with forearm tightness, gave up a rocket base hit to all-world prospect James Wood, then got a couple of ground balls before allowing a line single to Jake Alu, ending his day after 17 pitches, 12 of which were strikes.
“It feels good,” Swanson said after the game. “I think after my last (outing) in Dunedin (on Sunday),
the biggest thing to check off the box was that I bounced back well the next day. So hopefully all goes well again tonight and tomorrow I wake up feeling good. But I felt great today.”
He was not in command of all his pitches.
“Little squirrely with the splitter,” said Swanson, who threw nine split-fingered fastballs. “But, other than that, everything felt really good.”
Romano, on the injured list with elbow inflammation, came in to start the seventh, his first pitch a 97-m.p.h. fastball to Alu that missed the zone. He gave up a sharp single to ex-big leaguer Carter Kieboom, then walked a pair before leaving after 18 pitches, only eight of them strikes.
He was also called for a balk, for failing to come to a complete stop in his set position.
“Today I was just trying to focus on myself, my delivery, try to win every pitch,” Romano said. “Didn’t really do it at the end of it. You want to pitch better but at the end of the day it felt good.
“It was nice getting into the routine again of throwing pre-game and then bullpen and then getting out on the mound. That was something I haven’t done since spring training.”
The importance of the day, for both relievers, had nothing to do with the results on the field and everything to do with what they were feeling.
“I feel like I was a little apprehensive at first (with the elbow), just a normal human nature thing,” Romano said. “When something’s barking, (you’re) just a little uneasy to test it out fully, but I think today put my mind at peace.
“Everything feels good. The arm’s there. Everything’s working the way it should be. Didn’t pitch great, but it was great for myself and my mental well-being.”
The same could be said for the Jays, waiting for Romano and Swanson to return.
Romano said he felt strong enough to have thrown another 20 pitches after the 18 he threw Thursday. He’ll get the chance again Saturday, along with Swanson, and if they pass that test it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both back with the big club, along with catcher Danny Jansen, when the Yankees arrive in Toronto on Monday.