After a rough three-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays have lost six in a row and fallen into the final qualifying wild card spot in the American League. Now trailing the Yankees by 5 games for second place, the Toronto/Buffalo Blue Jays are pretty well locked into their current spot in the standings, with Fangraphs giving them a 0.9% chance to re-take 2nd place from the Yankees, but a 91.5% chance to hold off the Mariners, Angels, and Tigers for the final playoff spot in the American League postseason bracket. Though they share a record with the Astros, Houston should secure 2nd place in the AL West. The Indians are currently the other wild card team, and they hold a 2 game lead over the Blue Jays with 8 games remaining.
That sets up Toronto for a first-round, 3-game series with the Rays, White Sox, or A’s, with Tampa holding the top spot if the season ended this minute. Hyun Jin Ryu would figure to start the first game of any playoff series, but the rest of the rotation is open to interpretation. With improving health, however, the Jays are on the cusp of adding a few more options to the stable.
Matt Shoemaker has thrown upwards of 60 pitches while preparing to return to the team, which he could do any day now, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Shoemaker has 5 starts under his belt in 2020 with an average of just over 5 innings per start and a 4.91 ERA/6.11 FIP. 8.8 K/9 is a strong mark for Shoemaker, but he’s been doomed by the long ball with 2.8 HR/9. In terms of the playoffs, Shoemaker’s role is up in the air, but he’ll return to the rotation to make a start against the Yankees on Monday, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
The Blue Jays remain hopeful that hard-throwing right-hander Nate Pearson will return before the end of the season as well. Should he return, the Jays will use him for 1 to 2 innings at a time, presumably because there’s not enough time to work him back to full-strength before the playoffs. Pitching Coach Pete Walker reports a return to normal velocity levels for Pearson, per Nicholson-Smith, who suggests Pearson could work in relief to Tom Hatch or Julian Merryweather.
Regardless, the Blue Jays look as though they’ll be piecing together the rotation game-by-game following Ryu. Given their heavy reliance on the pen, a return from Jordan Romano will certainly help. Romano should throw off a mound shortly, and the Blue Jays are hopeful to see him back in their bullpen for the playoffs, per Nicholson-Smith. Romano, 27, enjoyed a breakout 15 appearances before hitting the injured list with a right middle finger strain. He’s been worth 1.1 rWAR with a 1.23 ERA/3.12 FIP and 12.9 K/9 to 3.1 BB/9 while picking up 2 saves and 5 holds.
If this column isn’t an indictment of this horrible post season system then I don’t know what is.
lol I actually laughed
Anyone know what happen to Elvis Luciano?
He was sent to the minors where he belongs. He hung around the Blue Jays roster long enough not to be sent back to his original team as a Rule 5. He should be ready to return around 2022.
Thanks for not helping. Last he was put on the IL two months ago, and nothing has been said about him since then. No reason for being put on the IL, and no timetable for his return.
Elvis injury at the moment is , “I can’t throw strikes”
Yea, because 19 year old rule five picks who hadn’t pitched above rookie ball usually have amazing control, ya jabroni.
When you ask a very dumb question, expect an unhelpful answer. Although my answer was helpful as anyone with any baseball aptitude would know he’s not going to pitch in the major leagues anytime soon. But thanks for asking a nothing question that has nothing to do with anything written in this piece.
How much of a moron are you? The article is about Blue Jay pitching updates. Luciano is a pitcher for the Blue Jays. There hasn’t been an update on his status since July, so I was curious if any Blue Jay fans knew what was going on with him. Did I say why isn’t this guy pitching for the Blue Jay’s or make any statement indicating that he should be?
Obviously the dude isn’t going to pitch with the Blue Jay’s for the next couple of seasons, never did I say he was going to, I simply asked what happened to him, because again, there hasn’t been an update on him in two months.
The idiotic leaps and bounds and false connections that some pompous members make around here is unreal. You guys must be real winners in life lol.
I wasn’t dumb enough to mention Elvis Luciano. Nobody who knows the Blue Jays or baseball in-general would bother mentioning Luciano. To answer your question, you aren’t smart enough to be slinging names around.
I answered your question. Say thank you and learn something for next time.
This just shows how ignorant you are when it comes to baseball and honest, probably life in general, if this is how you conduct yourself.
You didn’t answer my question because you have no answer. Just another tooled up moron on this website.
Brittle, I answered your question. Why the name calling? If you knew how to answer these questions you could have easily asked the following:
Google
Bing
Instead you asked on this thread, and I politely answered. The rest opted not to because they thought it was a “who cares” question.
And then you proved your worth by name calling. I get it. You aren’t the first and won’t be the last. I do not understand why you’d elevate me to a higher standard when I did not ask for it. Just because you are a know-nothing does not mean I am superior. I never thought it and you shouldn’t either.
Google his name, moron, and see what comes up. Again, there hasn’t been an update on him since July 2nd, so I decided to pose the question on a BASEBALL WEBSITE under a BLUE JAY’S PITCHING STAFF UPDATE thinking that a Jay’s fan would have heard something in the local news or during a game, something that wouldn’t be written about in an article because he’s not an important player. You’re a complete moron for not understanding that and turning it into this. If you don’t have an answer move along dum dum.
Seems a fair question to me. Furthermore, it begs the question, one more time, how desperate are Atkins and Shapiro for adequate pitching when they have to pull in a kid from single A? These guys were starting to win me over this year but have lost me again with their reclamation projects and pitchers who can’t stay healthy. And while I’m at it, WTF is with Guerrero the Great? He’s fat as a house, a liability on the field and average at the plate.
I gave the invalid a legitimate answer and decided to reach for the low hanging fruit.
Pitchers going down to injury or having short outings will tax the staff, unfortunately. Pitching has to be addressed this offseason.
Guerrero needs to get in-shape. Take his craft serious. You are correct.
Brent I think Guerrero is unfairly being a whipping post.I agree he does not look good BUT lets take a second to look at what might be why.
He came to the big league labeled, by the Blue Jays. a superstar third baseman for the ages. He had his ups and down defensively and the offense was slow but progressing.
New season starts he is playing third base and looks good at times. Shut Down. New beginning he comes to camp bigger, That’s on him BUT the Jays should have been checking in on “THEIR 21 year old SUPERSTAR” and they didn’t..
He starts all through summer camp at third and the day before the season starts they move him to first where he NEVER played an inning and expected him to be flawless and not affect him mentally or his hitting.
They should have left him at third until it was so bad he had to be moved, then DHed him for the rest of the year and in the offseason got him to work on being a first baseman. He then starts spring training as a first baseman not the day before the season starts.
Ok let’s be fair here.
1. We have no idea if the Jays have been checking in on Vladdy or not during the shutdown. It could be like you said and the team didn’t, or it could be the opposite, in which they checked in, told Vladdy in private that he needs to stay in shape, but Vladdy just ignored it and took it easy. But either way, it was Vladdy’s personal decision to take it easy. You can’t blame the team for that. Needing the team to remind him to stay in shape is in itself a sign of a lackadaisical approach on Vladdy’s part. 100% Vladdy’s fault.
2. Vladdy (and the world) was told he’d be moving to 1st base on the 2nd day of summer camp, not the day before the season starts. He didn’t start all summer camp at third base.
Bo Bichette hasn’t had the same troubles adjusting. And Biggio, with much less fanfare, is holding his own. While I understand that Vladdy’s been moved around a bit, he was only playing third because they didn’t have anybody else at the time. The truth is, he should never have been playing third in this league. But, defence notwithstanding, he’s here for his bat. That’s what hurried him through the minors and, save for his performance at last year’s Home Run Derby, where he got to hit beach balls, he’s yet to show any of the offensive prowess that got him here. As for conditioning, that’s on him. If he wants to play at this level, it’s up to him to be ready to play. While I respect your opinion, Guererro is demonstrating a lack of discipline and desire. The pitching he faces now is vastly superior to what he faced in AAA. If he can’t get ready for that, his big league career is going to be but a footnote.
1 I agree Vlad Jr should have kept himself in shape BUT he is a 21 year old that the team has invested a lot into him being the “next big thing”. So how many 21 year olds are put in that position and does what they are told. Not an excuse just the reality. Which leads to the Blue Jays, where it was reported, didn’t really check in with him, true only the Jays and Vladdy know the truth. So all that being said if you are invested into anything you have to keep tabs on it or you are going to be sorry which makes me believe the report they didn’t check in on him.
2. Nobody knew Vlad was changing position until a couple days before where it was rumored BUT was only announced the day before the season started. He was still playing third 2 games before that. Still not good enough they should have did this in the offseason.
Darthyen, your point on Vlad switching positions with little notice is fair. Very fair. Whatever explanation I want to use to rationalize the decision blows a hole somewhere else in the argument. I have nothing except you are correct.
The weight is one concern. The mental lapses is another concern. For a son of a major league ballplayer one would think he’d be a student of the game and be much smarter on the base paths and with his decision making. I would hope coaches are giving him tape to watch of himself with the mental mistakes.
Vlad has a big offseason coming up; get in-shape, work on fielding, be more disciplined. His arm is too good to be wasted at 1B and I would hope they give him another chance at reclaiming 3B. That would allow the Jays to seek an OF bat and move Teoscar to DH.
I’m sorry Darthyen but you got your facts wrong. Manager Montoyo announced publicly on July 10 that Vladdy was moving to 1B. That’s not 1 day before the season started on July 21.
https://www.mlb.com/news/vladimir-guerrero-jr-learning-to-play-first-base
It is very hard to sustain success when you do not have starting pitching. The Yankees and now the Phillies have exposed the Jays. They will need another bat (3B) and at least two starting pitchers to go along with Ryu, Pearson and Roark. It is possible a trade that Jays fans do not want to see happen might happen.
Romano hasn’t pitched since Aug 28 and it sounds like he isn’t close. Hard to imagine he will be rushed into action.
Jays can drop Font or any deadline acquisition once Pearson returns.
Here’s the real status of BlueJays starting pitching:
RYu: Bonafide #1 ace
Anderson: Doesn’t belong in the big leagues, terrible trade
Shoemaker: Can pitch but is injured most of the time, cut bait
Taijuan Walker: #3 in the rotation, solid innings eater
Robbie Ray: Has no idea where the ball in going out of his hand
Tanner Roark: Doesn’t belong in the big leagues, terrible signing
Nate Pearson: Elite arm, now learning how to pitch, emotions need work
Julian Merryweather: Not a Big league starter, elite setup guy
Jacob Waguespack: borderline starter, long relief
Ross Stripling: Starting days about over, terrible trade
Ryan Borucki: can be a great starter but needs to bulk up 20 lbs
Thomas Hatch: very good starter eventually
Yamaguchi: strictly a reliever, poor overpriced signing
In other words, the Jays are winning nothing this year with this starting crew.
ah yes, the sagely one has spoken. with his ‘#scoutseyes’. how about, #glaucoma.. do you have brown eyes jimmer? since you’re quite frankly full of it.
Chill out bro. It’s just ONE opinion. It’s gonna be okay.
Soviet, This is a sportsfan board not a dating board. But if it helps you sleep at night, my eyes are green.
I am a sports fan thanks.
just your usual ‘high and mighty/ this is my opinion and all of you are wrong because I said so’ gets old. quickly. that is all.
Do you even watch the jays?
me?
Jmmer is out there at times but that’s actually a pretty good summation of the jays pitching staff!
No jimmer
Chin, do you have something to bring to the table or are you going to be a nothing? At least I had the decency to bring a real answer to him. Take note.
I see nobody has refuted what you wrote Jimmer. I’ll give it a go since I watch baseball and they deal with emotion like a Leafs fan.
Non-tender Anderson and save $9.5-mil. No brainer but this the Jays.
I doubt Hatch can start in the major leagues. A #5 at-best.
Borucki better put on 20 pounds if he wants to start. He’s had 2 years to get a trainer and get to work.
Walker’s a 4 or 5. I’d rather look elsewhere.
Waguespack is the very last spot on a team. Eat innings in a blowout.
Everything else looks about right.
curious why no one has mentioned Thornton as a back end of the rotation option? I’d like to see taijuan walker back, if Pete walker can figure out how to make Ray not so Homer prone, than him too… whether we like it or not, unless he really makes a mess of things the rest of the way this year, stripling is a rotation option whether we like it or not – at least initially. as much as ‘the kids’ should get a chance to show their stuff, unless things go sideways next year, this year’s half hearted push for the playoffs, probably nixes that idea.
Because we have to wait and see how he responds to his elbow surgery. He might be fine, he might not. Jays have to be precautionary and fill the 5 starting slots in the event he needs to sit out longer or have TJS. Luckily Dr Andrews felt he didn’t need it at this time.
Nobody is closing the book on Thornton. They can’t rely on his given the injury status either.
Was hoping Pearson would be back in time to start in the playoffs. He’s good, man. I always want to see the best. Especially in important games.
This season has been great for the Blue Jays. What a great experience for that young group of players they have. No matter how the postseason works out this year, I don’t see Toronto going away any time soon.
The AL East is good and getting even tougher. Yanks, Rays, Jays will all (most likely) be good teams again next season.
Even the Orioles look to be moving in the right direction.
I feel I’d be remiss in my duty as a Yankee fan if I didn’t point out that the red sox are in deep doo-doo at the moment. I don’t count them out. But they’ve *a lot* of work to do to catch up with the rest of the division.
Picking nits here, but numbers zero through nine should be spelled out.
Yes, I’m a proud member of the grammar police.
Surprised how much Shapiro and Atkins have struggled to develop even mediocre major league pitching during their stint in Toronto compared to their time in Cleveland where they seemed to grow great starters on trees.
AL East is not an easy place for a pitcher.
Perhaps it was all the scouts, minor league coaches and managers and so forth in the Cleveland system who were developing their starting pitching, and not the general manager. The boss doesn’t do as much as people imagine.
Shapkins is the master of flipping reclamation project relievers for surprisingly useful prospects though, and that’s something they control. A shame it’s only useful when you’re not contending.
It’s still relatively early in their tenures to see that in my opinion. We’re just now seeing the arms they’ve brought in slowly making their way to the big league roster. It’ll probably be a fair question to ask though in two or three years when you can look back and see what Manoah, SWR, Kay, Hatch, Pearson etc. have become.
To all of the Vladdy lovers wasn’t it wonderful to wake up this morning to find out that the guy is once again a complete below replacement level player.
The more i watch the guy play the more I think that he really has never spent any time in his career learning the actual game of baseball .His baseball IQ is really bad.
If you don’t think that his teammates are tiring of his play you aren’t watching the games..
He may very well be the worst all around defensive player in all of the MLB. He is really that bad. He still mixes he feet up on the bag. Unbelievable.
Maybe, 3B is where he belongs? As if! He was terrible there as well.
The guy has MILB options left and his bat is all he has left and that is now replacement level.
Send him down next year to figure it out if possible.
There was a player who once said this isn’t the try league.
It’s curious that I keep reading here and elsewhere that Borucki need to put on 20lbs. He made a concerted effort to LOSE 15 lbs this year, in order to feel better on the mound.