The Blue Jays announced their 28-man roster for their wild card series with the Rays, beginning today in Tampa Bay. Matt Shoemaker gets the Game 1 start for Toronto while Hyun Jin Ryu is scheduled for Game 2, as the Jays opted to give Ryu an extra day of rest heading into an all-important postseason start.
Taijuan Walker is expected to start Game 3 if necessary, and the Jays are expected to make liberal use of their bullpen throughout the series. The relief corps won’t include Jordan Romano, who is still out of action with a finger injury. Left-hander Anthony Kay was called up from the alternate training site on the weekend and will stay as added left-handed depth in the bullpen.
After hitting the injured list with a right knee strain back on September 9, Rowdy Tellez has been activated for the playoff roster, though he isn’t in Game 1’s starting lineup. Alejandro Kirk will get the start at DH, as the Jays hope the rookie’s hot right-handed bat can counter Rays southpaw Blake Snell. Kirk is one of three catchers on the roster, though Kirk may end up seeing more time at DH, leaving Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire with the bulk of duties behind the plate.
Left-Handed Pitchers
- Hyun Jin Ryu
- Ryan Borucki
- Anthony Kay
- Robbie Ray
Right-Handed Pitchers
- Matt Shoemaker
- Taijuan Walker
- Chase Anderson
- Anthony Bass
- A.J. Cole
- Rafael Dolis
- Thomas Hatch
- Nate Pearson
- Ross Stripling
Infielders
- Bo Bichette
- Cavan Biggio
- Santiago Espinal
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Joe Panik
- Travis Shaw
- Rowdy Tellez
- Jonathan Villar
Outfielders
Catchers
- Danny Jansen
- Alejandro Kirk
- Reese McGuire
Let’s see how today’s bullpen game works out. Shoemaker will be fortunate to go 5. Expecting 3 or 4 if he’s on, and less if Tampa rips him all over the yard. Good call on Kirk DH’ing against Snell.
I think your right. He may even be on a shorter leash if he gets introuble early
Wouldn’t surprise me if the game plan is Shoemaker 3IP > Ray 3IP > let’s-see-what-the-score-is-first.
You were right Snoopy. Shoemaker went 3 innings and must’ve been exhausted throwing 35 pitches and 27 strikes. He wasn’t cruising at all. Good thing Montoyo brought in a guy who doesn’t walk guys.
What a terrible decision. I’m sure Atkins had a say in this. They should’ve had a contingency plan in-place; he’s dealing, let him pitch.
And I was right again about Ray. Does that mean I can be a MLB manager?
It appears you are well qualified Snoopy.
Seems like they forced Ray, and it might have cost them the game. Ray pitched well, but they were warming Cole, than decided to go with Ray for a 3rd inning, camera showed Cole warmed up, but left cooling off…might have been a key mistake, and in my opinion…there were a handful of them.
Nah they were just unlucky today imo, which seems to happen a lot at the trop. I would have kept Shoemaker in longer, but the results more than likely would have been worse than what they were. The reality is that the lineup just got incredibly unlucky in their spots. Three AB’s with two of them being RBI situations had BA’s expected over .500 which resulted in outs. It was just a close game with Tampa getting the breaks. Tomorrow SHOULD be our game with the pitching matchup. Hopefully Ryu can push it to an elimination situation.
Unlucky? No. They didn’t hit. The pitching change became moot when the bats took the night off. Tampa executed. No such thing as being “unlucky”.
Believe their main reason for putting in shoemaker is because they plan on having Ray go in the minute he falters to both try and save the bullpen and also to throw off Tampa’s line up with a lefty
It’s probably just so they aren’t relying on Shoemaker and Ray in an elimination game (yet). Ryu was a no brainer for game two and Walker has been hot enough since coming over that he has earned the spot in what could be the biggest game of the season.
Versus left-handed batters in 2020:
Matt Shoemaker: 68 TBF, .194/.254/.468/.722, 1.02 WHIP, .303 wOBA
Robbie Ray: 64 TBF, .207/.281/.379/.660, 1.17 WHIP, .288 wOBA
Ross Stripling: 110 TBF, .220/.284/.450/.734, 1.16 WHIP, .312 wOBA
Taijuan Walker: 94 TBF, .265/.351/.518/.869, 1.50 WHIP, .370 wOBA
More stats from Terry. You are the same guy that brought stats stating the Mets would have more wins than the Blue Jays. Thanks.
Ryu in the middle in a must win or potential series clincher, I like it. Shoemaker + mix and matches in game #1, we’ll see I guess. Regardless, Go Jay’s!!!
In all honesty I love chase Anderson in the bullpen. The guy might throw a lot of pitches but he’s had sneaky stretches of dominance this season. Only Asking him to do an inning or 2 might help this bullpen that’s loaded with good multi-inning guys who finally have some rest thanks to Charlie throwing the last game.Hopefully Ramano can come back if the jays somehow make
I like Anderson in the pen too. It depends on the score, but I can see a scenario of:
Shoemaker – 4 innings
Ray – 3 innings
Anderson – 2 innings
I’d like Anderson off the roster. Unfortunately too many arm injuries prevented that.
Dang! Lots of bad calls tonight I thought,I said a few days ago that if Cash out manages Chatlie…we lose. PaniK pinch hitting in the 7th with 2 on, and than staying with him in the 9th with Lourdes at 2nd and 2 out?, brutal. If they Jays don’t take a few pitches, they’re doomed. Toronto can’t hit fastballs, Ray’s pumped power arm after power arm at them and it was ugly
The Jays did well tonight to hold Tampa to only 3 runs. There is a reason why Tampa is so good. Good pitching beats good hitting every time.
Ryu should give them a good outing but after that it gets thin.
Chase Anderson is done as a starter. He wouldn’t be on a championship team at all. What does that tell you about the Jays?
Jays would be smart not to pick up his option. That’s $9-mil saved.
I am rooting for the Yankees to win it all. How about you?
Agreed, well pitched game…12 K’s though, tough to say the young guys gained valuable experience if they go out in 2. Yankees?, PASS…although anyone but the Astros I guess.
Yikes…that’s all folks! Bum deal, our ace was anything but…I know he pitched well in the regular season and the Jays were 9-3 or something like that in his starts, demoralizing nonetheless. $80 million bones to front the staff, regular season and playoffs…or so I thought. Next year should be fun, hope they further upgrade the rotation and maybe find a true centerfielder.
Save 9-mil on Anderson, pick up Dolis’ option. Immediately.
Go after at least 1 SP, 3B, OF (CF would be good).
I’d call the Cardinals and offer Tanner Roark for Matt Carpenter to play 3B. I believe Carpenter has veto power though. Then hope Groshans is ready in 2022. Cards would save $7.5 mil. Idea is far-fetched I will admit.