The Blue Jays have placed right-hander Aaron Sanchez on the 10-day DL with a right middle finger laceration. This was one of several roster moves announced (Twitter links) by the team, a list that also notably included catcher Russell Martin returning from the DL, Kevin Pillar returning from a two-game suspension, catcher Mike Ohlman being designated for assignment, outfielder Dwight Smith being optioned to Triple-A and righty Cesar Valdez receiving a promotion from Triple-A to the Major League roster.
[Updated Blue Jays depth chart at Roster Resource]
This is already Sanchez’s third DL stint of the season due to his bothersome finger, as Sanchez has also battled a blister and a split nail. The right-hander made two starts since his most recent return, including a quality start last night against the Orioles (six IP, three ER, 93 pitches). Sanchez said he felt “a little pain” (as per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith) after last night’s outing, and a few drips of blood were spotted in his first start back, a five-inning outing against the Mariners on May 14. Manager John Gibbons told MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm and other reporters that Sanchez’s latest DL stint is due to a recurrence of the blister.
Sanchez has performed well (3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 IP) when he has been able to take the mound, though peripheral metrics hint that he has been a little fortunate. His ERA indicators (4.92 FIP, 4.73 xFIP, 4.74 SIERA) are well above his actual ERA, and his grounder rate is down to 40%, well below his 56% career average. Still, it’s hard to really evaluate Sanchez properly given the stop-and-start nature of his season. Of all the injury woes that have plagued the Jays this season, Sanchez’s could be the most frustrating given the seemingly minor yet potentially long-lasting nature of blister injuries. Gibbons said the Jays “want to knock it [the blister] out” to keep it from becoming a long-term problem for Sanchez, which would imply that Sanchez won’t be back until he and the club are completely certain that he is healed.
Martin is back after missing slightly more than the minimum 10 days while dealing with a nerve problem in his left shoulder. The catcher bounced back from a terrible start to go on a hot streak just prior to his DL stint, and Martin has a .197/.365/.342 slash line over 96 plate appearances.
Ohlman was called up in the wake of Martin’s injury to back up Luke Maile, allowing the 26-year-old Ohlman to make his Major League debut after nine pro seasons. Ohlman appeared in five games with the Jays (collecting his first two MLB hits in the process) after posting a .260/.348/.395 slash line over 2645 career PA in the minors with the Jays, Cardinals and Orioles organizations.
Good grief, how many DL stints for the same injury, Sanchez?
“A couple more to go.” – Rich Hill
Sanchez, “with so many guys on the DL I have learned what a nice retreat it is from John Gibbon’s club house. I’m trying to hook up with Bautista so we can kick over to Monreal and hang for a mini vacation.
Regarding Frazier, Trader Dave offered Betts even up. When questioned by the press, DD was irked and replied, “By now you guys should know that I always like guys on other teams over guys that I didn’t trade for.” When the reporter quoted statistics backing up the stupidity of this kind of transaction he replied curtly, “I’ve got to do deals like this to prove to John Henry that I’m worth my high salary. Rolling the dice is is part of Red Sox history. This year doesn’t matter anyway as another of my hi risk moves (with Price) has put us in a bind.”
Same old story, pitching depth is the issue. Remember spring training when everyone was saying the Jays had one of the best rotations in basbeall and didn’t need to add anything? It was Hogwash then and and more hogwash now.. Add the holes in the bullpen and you’ve got a game-in game-out struggle to compete. Bolsinger, Lawrence, Liriano, Latos, Campos, Howell, Dermoudy, Grilli, Ramirez are not the answer. Trading the farm system for quality players is what is needed. Teams are starting to acquire quality players. If the Braves can acquire Matt Adams and the Angels can sign Fister, the Jays need to make some effort to acquire quality players if they want to compete this year, otherwise blow it up at the trade deadline. Yup same story.
jeez, if only the front office had used that magic crystal ball they have that predicted this slew of injuries then maybe, just maybe , they would have dumped the farm for these quality pitchers available that you so often speak of.
Forget a crystal ball, just read MLBTradeRimors comments section or listen to twitter ffrom those who can scout and project. Even the Fan590 guys were saying that the Jays got extremely lucky last year with the healthy rotation and players and it was going to catch up with them eventually, It is not like this wasn’t talked about a lot by many. It comes down to the Jays current organizational philosophy of wanting to be competative year after year versus going all-in like AA did. What was needed this off-season was to go all-in again but the philospohy no longer allows it by goal setting policy. The odds were against the Jays even before the season started because of this. Cleveland used the long and slow build philosophy and were competative since 2001 when Mark Shaprio took over but they never won much. They reached the world servies only recently after 16 years and to do that they had to trade some near ready elite prospects for Miller and others. FYI, Shapiro was no longer there overseeing things to make those trades. .I like Mark as a leader, but I disagree on the longterm strategy. He did oversee the building of the Cleveland farm system that allowed them to make those trades. It is the opposite of how Dave Dombroski does things. When trader Dave goes into a new city, he usually trades half the farm system for parts he needs and then he convinces ownership to spend a boatload on free agents, esecially stars. thats what he tried with the Expos and did it again in Detroit and won and built a expensive winning team. He is doing that again in Bosox land. Unfortuantely it appears that the Jays have the opposite philosphy.
Last I checked, the last time the AA lead organization went all in they traded all their depth to make it into the post season which they didn’t win. Now that depth is an issue you want to trade more depth to go all in again!? So that what? So that when these guys start declining, which is pretty much now, you won’t have anyone left in the system to replace them!? The best thing for the organization would be to blow up this aging core. Start building around your younger guys like stroman, Sanchez, Osuna, Biagini and Travis. If Pillar can keep up this torrid pace I’d include him there too. You ideally want veterans to be your support players and young guys to be your core. The core is old and past their prime.
I agree that the core is old and past their prime, but can they win? Likely not with the injuries unless…. My all-in suggestion was based on doing it in the off season or now only if the market permits. The question becomes can this old core win with adding upgrades. by trading the farm. If I am an executive going into this season, I would be asking why I am doing this with the pitching staff on the oldest team in a forgone conclusion that it cannot win? Yes, forgone, I and others called this mess. What kind of executive decision is that? Not one that I would do. Blowing it up at this upcoming trade deadline is the right thing to do but it is a reactionary step to an organization that as far as I am concerned didn’t get it done in the off-season. That is frustrating for fans who were calling for trades/upgrades last season who could see this team wasn’t going to compete pitchingwise. I won’t beleive in this executive team unless they can prove to me they can quickly fix this mess. Prior to this season, at least Cashman of the Yankees told everyone, “we are rebuilding , not trading our kids etc” Cashman didn’t project a competative team when he didn’t have one.
Remind me what pitching was available during spring when the Jays had holes to fill? And what resources were available to acquire these arms??
If you’ve been watching lately, you’d notice that the team is surviving just fine now that the offense is waking up.
Streaming the bottom of the barrel is what they can afford. All these prospect arms that AA traded away would have been the perfect filler arm for right now. To suggest trading prospects again is a waste of energy. This farm went from poor to good over the past year. The near future is exciting. Why go all in when the bottom barrel is doing the trick. The sky isn’t falling.
Biagini in the rotation looks great. Rebounded nicely enough after rough first inning last time and seems stretched out now. Estrada’s back doesn’t look like putty to me. Stroman has what it takes. Bolsinger looked decent enough last time out. Guy’s keep stepping up, and the offense is starting to carry their share.
Running out of options at the big league level. Martin return and Maile’s handling of the staff gives me faith that the arms will do enough. Jarrett Grube might get his shot. Just need a start or two until Happ/Sanchez/Liriano return. If all 3 have setbacks through June, maybe panic then. Things are still looking good to me for now. Bullpen has really come together. You conveniently left Smith off your list. Howell has been alright and Tepera has really stepped up to the competition. Barnes and Loup as well. Where is this naysaying coming from??! This pitching has really held together and reinforcements are close or will be attained.
I’d hate to think how bad things would be if they read the comments section and cut the useless garbage Smoak like so many were campaigning for. Try not to be such a know it all, sometimes this regime knows what they’re doing. Vlad Jr, Tellez and Gurriel will be worth the wait. Alford is a bit soon, but start getting excited now. Cheap talent is coming and it will free up money for when aces do become available.
This team is not surviving “just fine”. The pitching stats as a team don’t lie. Team Era – 4.23 25th in MLB, quality starts 18 21st in MLB, OBA .255 19th in MLB, OOBP .329 22nd in MLB, OSLG .416 16th in MLB, OOPS .745 19th in MLB, .sv% .50 26th in MLB, TB 651, only 4 teams worse in MLB, WHIP 1.37 22nd in MLB, RSA .20 29th in MLB. These stats are clear, this team cannot win with this staff without major upgrades now or blow it up. As for Smoak, he is having a career year so far, good on him. But, he has gone in the tank in the second half before after a hot start. We cannot evaluate him now, he must be evaluated at the end of the year to see if he has made the correction to allow for a strong 2nd half. I disagree with most of the comments on individual players. Bolsinger will be back in the minors soon. Howell and Valdez should be released. Maile is good caller and defensive guy but he is a gauranteed out in the batting order -can’t have that on a championship team, even as a sub. Even though Estrada is a very good pitcher, but inside info says his back is suspect. I orginally gave him 8 starts before it started to act up. and he is at 10 starts now, let’s see how he holds up. Bautista has found it again, as I said he would. Morales is a good signing. Stroman will be stroman win 10-15 games era of 4.3+. Grilli is good as long as he is rested, no back to back appearances anymore for him or it will be rough. Barnes is a meh piece, so is Tepera, Loup is much better, but they are still missing a all-star calibre setup guy. Biagini has proven nothing as a starter yet. Let’s see how he does after 15 starts. He hasn’t even successfully gotten through a 3rd cycle of a battling order yet.The purpose of baseball is to win, not just be moderately entertain the fans and make money and it is easy to see that this team as currently constructed will not play meaningful games in October.
In my world, just fine means that they have the 2nd best record in AL East over past 30 days while having more than half the payroll injured.
Possibly better than just fine.
If Smoak loses AB for second half, then I will agree with you, but any time Justin Smoak gets regular AB, he will hit. Just watch the guy.
Bolsinger better be sent down soon, I agree. Only because 2 of Happ/Liriano/Sanchez would be back by July. Bolsinger can get this team through another month.
I assume Valdez is down once they need a starter. Not worth complaining over. Howell could be released but they’d pick up something equal caliber. Not worth complaining over.
Championship team can handle a nobat, all glove catcher once per week, check the names on the World Series trophy.
Estrada looks stronger to me. Inside sources can be full of garbage.
I remember constantly telling people to check how Bautista did after return from 2nd DL stint, but I’m not going to look back. I’ll believe that you said he would find it again, but a little skeptical.
Stroman will be better than that. Only time I’ll get this definitive with my predictions. Guy’s good. WBC MVP. Only gonna improve once the offense can support him regularly.
Grilli has been passed. Still throwing good but fully agree about the rest.
Barnes and Tepera may be meh on paper, but have you watched them pitch at all???? If they don’t lose their control, they will remain legit.
Also Joe Smith is a savior. Talk about him more. Naysaying gets boring fast.
Biagini is just finished being stretched out. Doesn’t get rattled and has great command. I’m expecting him to stay in rotation for keeps.
Your points have some intrigue to them, but you say them in such a definitive manner that I can’t resist poking holes in the logic. I know for a fact that my opinion is not 100% perfect but I just want you to see how things look from the optimistic, never jumping off side of the Jays bandwagon.
Also have you looked around the league, other staffs are looking pretty gross these days too. Sky isn’t falling.
And trading away prospects won’t happen until some of these $20mill contracts are off the books. Keep dreaming.
I can’t stop, sorry.
I enjoy that you voice your point of view so passionately but I just can’t see it. The Jays may not play meaningful games in October, but they will be in the Wild Card race at least.
Did you know the team is 9-5 with Maile starting? He can’t hit, the pitchers are still pretty average, but they have been winning.
Tulo/Donaldson started rehab. I’d imagine Coghlan and Valdez are off the 25 to make space for these 2. Don’t even need a 5th starter for a week. Bolsinger plus 1 stream or a bullpen day can get the team through to when Happ/Liriano might be ready. Any setbacks might be cause for worry, but things are starting to look pretty good from here.
This is when teams start making moves. Last year’s trade for Grilli looked bad at the time but worked out. No need for a big trade. If they claw back into the race as they get healthy, there might be a few smaller trades. If they don’t get back into the race, the selloff will likely begin.
Picking up starting depth would no doubt be the top priority. After Tulo/Donaldson return, if Pearce isn’t far behind, the team might have a chance to trade a bat for pitching depth. The Donaldson talks aren’t too crazy to me. Not a lot for trade chips and they’ve learned to get by without him. Even Tulo would always be valued by some team. Goins/Barney have done well enough but probably still not worth much in trade. Gonna be an exciting next month seeing whether this team can actually get healthy, and not lose momentum while returning to health.
Teams don’t usually trade pitching, so I’m just gonna enjoy trying to find some gems among the garbage. Bolsinger showed a little something last time out, and Biagini has showed a lot for over a year now. Smith has been a beauty. Tepera and Barnes have stepped up. Loup is back to older form. Guy’s are stepping up. Team stats are bad, but when a starter has flopped, the bullpen has picked them up. Now the offense is starting to pick up the pitching. Team is really sticking together through all the injuries. Lovin it.
Keep on talkin, passion is good. Talk about the opposite side of the fence from me though. I like some of your viewpoints. Biagini is in the rotation for good. Is he a 2 batting order turns or 3 turns starter? Defintely no rose coloured glasses on the bullpen for me. Barnes gave up a 3 run bomb last time out, and he is just okay, Howell barely gets anyone out, we agree on Grilli, Valdez plain stinks, Leone can be good or terrible, more good lately, J Smith has been a surprise, Loup has decently returned to form – but not the lights out lefty he once was but still good. That’s the trouble- too many okay guys, not enough lights out guys to win a championship. I wanna cry watching Bolsinger, everytime he throws a pitch I wonder if it is going out. Championship teams maybe able to handle 1 no bat but 2 or 3 or 4 no bats? Goins is streaky but mostly sub mendoza line (.191),with eleite defense, and Maile is plain terrible at the plate. Coghlan is a mendoza guy too. Alford is going to be an out most nights until he learns, then he’ll be very good, better than Moseby was. Even with Tulo/Donalson/Pearce back, I don’t see this team getting any better than 8 games out. Despite being a passionate fan, I called them for 3rd place, no wildcard, at the beginning of the season, so they will get better and perjhaps go on a good run if the rotation pitching gets better. If not, trades gotta happen or their done, kinda black and white thinking, but usually it is not far off. The Jays are an old team that is built to win now. Barring any big changes, I think that this year is the last shot of winning anything in a while as contracts start expiring and players are getting older not better. I hope your correct about Smoak, but even when he did play in seattle for 3 years and 500+ ab’s per year, he stunk. I hear he might have changed some diet things recent;ly and perhaps that is why he is having a career year. Good on him. If it comes down to a selloff at the deadline, I suggest that everyone is available at the MLB ;level to trade pending a good return except Stroman, Osuna and Pillar.
Rich hill: I bet nobody has had as many blister related dl stints then me
Aaron Sanchez: hold my beer, watch this.