The Blue Jays currently have seven players on the injured list and Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic provides updates on each of them. (Twitter links) Hyun Jin Ryu will make a rehab start for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons this Saturday as he begins to work his way back to the mound. He was only able to make two starts this year before elbow inflammation landed him on the injured list.
The rotation has fared well in his absence, with Kevin Gausman, Alek Manoah and Jose Berrios providing excellent innings at the front end. Berrios had a disastrous start in the season opener where he allowed four earned runs and only recorded a single out. However, he’s been able to correct course since then, recording a 2.66 ERA over his next four appearances. Manoah’s ERA is sitting at 1.44 on the year while Gausman’s is at 2.27, the latter not allowing a walk yet in 31 2/3 innings.
Ross Stripling has also carried himself well so far this year, putting up an ERA of 3.79, starting the year as the bullpen’s long man and then stepping up to take over Ryu’s starts in recent weeks. Yusei Kikuchi has been the weakest link so far, with a 5.52 ERA in four starts, including an alarming 18.1% walk rate. Ryu began his Blue Jays tenure with an excellent showing in 2020, logging a 2.69 ERA and 26.2% strikeout rate in the shortened campaign. He couldn’t quite sustain that into 2021, though, with his ERA swelling to 4.37 and his strikeout rate dimming to 20.4%.
Also going on a rehab assignment is outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who landed on the IL after just six games this year due to an oblique strain. Somewhat overshadowed in the hype surrounding youngsters like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, Hernandez has somewhat quietly emerged as an excellent hitter over the past few years. Since the start of the 2020 campaign, he’s hit .295/.347/.538, with his 136 wRC+ in that time ranking him 15th among qualified hitters, just ahead of guys like Matt Olson and Mookie Betts. His absence has opened up more playing time for Bradley Zimmer, who’s slashing .067/.125/.167 on the year. The return of Teoscar will unquestionably give a boost to the lineup.
Reliever Ryan Borucki is also making his way back, as he is set to throw live batting practice soon. The southpaw began the season on the injured list with a hamstring strain, before returning to the club and making a pair of scoreless appearances. However, he then went back on the IL with a blister. After transitioning from the rotation to the bullpen, Borucki seemed to emerge as a weapon in 2020. In 16 2/3 innings on the shortened season, he logged a 2.70 ERA with a 28.8% strikeout rate, though with a concerning 16.4% walk rate. He reduced that to 11.2% in 2021 but also saw his strikeouts dip to 21.4% and his ERA jump to 4.94. Now out of options, the 28-year-old will have to produce to hold onto his spot on the team. Rosters were just shrunk today, going from 28 to 26, along with a 14-pitcher limit that lasts until May 29, with the limit squeezing to 13 after that.
would love to see this team make more noise this year
Anyone back is a bonus to rid themselves of Zimmer, Collins, Tapia etc. painful at the plate. Auto outs!
Collins??? Dude has been damn good! What team you watching? Also Tapia as of late has been far better. No mention of Jansen here though either
Collins hasn’t been *that* great. He had a nice four game stretch in mid-April but he’s 3 for his past 23 with 12 strikeouts, and based on past data, that’s probably more what we can expect than .350 offense. He has 19 strikeouts in 43 at bats total this year. That’s rough.
The f*** are you talking about?
I’m not sold they’re the ones to beat just yet but theyre in a way better position than the Sox and their offense is lethal. I still think Yankees and Rays. I’m not sure Gausman will be ace-like all season until I see it.
This season has been very strange. Lots of guys off to aatronically good years while some are off to unexpectedly bad years. I see it leveling out as the year goes on.
Yanks yes, Rays nay…….like all teams, there is a best before date, even the Rays and this year they will get worse as the effects of the 13 pitcher and 5 time recall rules come into effect…..and as for Gausman, why not? His stats in SF were very much ace like…not to mention Berrios who is also an ace and Manoah who is an ace in the making! And i find all the stat guys r saying the same thing this year lol, like no one has ever broken out or fallen off a cliff statistically before……the new humidors, no tack rules etc means major changes for both pitchers and hitters so changes are to be expected tbh
Wonder if Canó could fill a void, at least until a deal for another bat comes up.
If he got a game a week at first when vlad dh’s, rest of the time dh or bat off bench.
Jays energy, especially with all of the Caribbean players (jays dug out is referred to as the barrio), might be the right environment for him to contribute meaningfully.
When you’re 39 years old and you get released despite your team owing you lots of money, it’s because they can see you’re physically done. I’d rather watch Vinny Capra.
Stripling really doesn’t get enough credit. The guy never makes noise, never complains, just shows up and does whatever job they ask of him.
Being able to jump back and forth from the rotation and pen is not easy
Do you think in free agency some teams will value that more than the teams that might offer him a true rotation spot? I can see a contender with a thin upper minors system being willing to pay up for that swingman role.
It’s certainly possible there could be more money in being a swingman for a high spending team that wants 6th or 7th starter depth than in taking the ball every 5th day for the Orioles. Doesn’t hurt that Stripling has a lot of experience winning.
The Jays have had arguably the hardest schedule to open the year and they’re 15-9. Once they start playing lesser teams, look out.
I agree to a certain degree, but i always find with a schedule like this, teams get very complacent against the lousier teams and lose way more often than they should, so hopefully Charlie can keep them on an even keel
While conversely, the Yanks and Rays have had two of the easiest schedules. Rays have only played 3 games against winning teams so far, and lost 2 of 3. The Yanks have played 12 of their 25 games against the 3 worst teams in the AL.
Jays need Teo in the number four spot so pitchers are forced to actually pitch to Vladdy instead of around him off the plate to get to Gurriel. It also might be time to move Bichette down in the lineup and move Espinal up because pitchers are really pitching tough to Bo and when they do make a mistake he is not capitalizing on it. His timing is still a bit late at the plate at this time. It’s never time to panic with this team because of the ridiculous amount of talent they have but it is time for all the bats to wake up and start putting the hurt to these apposing pitchers!!
GO JAYS GO!!