There is no question that the Toronto Blue Jays had one of the most dynamic offenses in baseball a season ago. With guys like Vlad Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer, they are set to rake for years to come. Coming into last season, the starting rotation was a big question, and rightfully so. Well, the Jays provided a pretty solid answer to that question in 2021. Nobody saw Robbie Ray taking home the AL Cy Young Award before the season started, but he did just that. He’d go on to sign a lucrative five-year contract with the Seattle Mariners just a few weeks ago.
Blue Jays Big Splash
The Jays filled the void quite nicely though. They agreed to terms with former SF Giant and 30-year-old right-hander Kevin Gausman on a five-year $110 million dollar deal. He slides into a rotation that already features Hyun Jin Ryu, Jose Berrios, and Alek Manoah, the 23-year-old who burst onto the scene in 2021. Well, now the pitching, in terms of the starting rotation, matches the offense.
They have totally remade this rotation over the last few seasons. Ryu and Gausman were big money signings. Berrios came over in a huge trade at the 2021 deadline. Manoah came up at the end of May and gave the Jays everything they wanted and more. They have invested in pitching heavily, and can now only hope it translates to results on the field.
Who Rounds it Out?
Now, the question of who takes the 5th spot in the rotation could go in multiple different directions. Is it Ross Stripling, who who pitched to a 4.80 ERA in 2021? Or is it Nate Pearson, the former top prospect who has battled injuries and struggles over his first two big league seasons. Other names like Anthony Kay or Thomas Hatch have made starts for this Jays team in the past couple seasons, but don’t really fit the mold as long-term answers in a major league rotation.
Is the answer even in the organization currently? You can rule out the idea of a big name trade like a Luis Castillo of the Reds after all the moves they have made for starting pitching. But, there are still plenty of serviceable starters still left on the free agent market. Guys like Michael Pineda or or Yusei Kikuchi could make a lot of sense. The Jays have made it very clear the they are willing to spend money, and when the lockout is over, I think they may continue to do so.
The way I see it, I think the rotation currently lines up like this:
1.) Jose Berrios (R)
2.) Kevin Gausman (R)
3.) Hyun Jin Ryu (L)
4.) Alek Manoah (R)
5.) Ross Stripling (R) – I think the experience he has as a starter ultimately wins him this job. This could see youngster Nate Pearson coming out of the bullpen, where I could see him dominating with that nasty repertoire of his. If another starter were to be signed, Stripling would only help the bullpen as well, a unit we will talk about soon.
Twitter: Chamionship_SM