Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins met with reporters this afternoon. With the deadline in a little over a month, Toronto’s front office leader called the starting rotation the “obvious area” for the team to address (relayed by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com).
Atkins noted the team would “balance” the desire for an external upgrade with potential MLB returns of Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah. Those pitchers are in dramatically different spots but both high-variance options at this point. Ryu is working back from last June’s Tommy John procedure. He has been targeting a return shortly after the All-Star Break.
Manoah is healthy but in the minor leagues. Toronto optioned last year’s AL Cy Young third-place finisher to their Florida organizational complex three weeks back. He’d posted a stunning 6.36 ERA through his first 13 starts, leading the club to try to get him back on track in a lower-pressure environment.
He returned to game action this week but was tagged for 11 runs in 2 2/3 innings by the Yankees’ rookie ball affiliate. Atkins said today he still “absolutely” expects Manoah to return to the MLB level in 2023 (via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). He’ll throw a bullpen session on Friday before the Jays decide their next steps.
For the moment, the Jays are rolling with a starting group of Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi. They don’t have a set fifth starter since sending Manoah down. Trevor Richards has kicked off three bullpen games in that spot and pitched well, but he’s only working three-inning stints. It’s obviously not an ideal setup, even with the likes of Mitch White and Bowden Francis capable of taking multiple innings of relief behind him.
Gausman is one of the best pitchers in the game. Berríos has bounced back from a rough 2022 campaign. While Bassitt’s first season in Toronto has been inconsistent, the club isn’t going to bump him from the rotation in year one of a three-year free agent deal. Kikuchi has a 3.75 ERA and quality strikeout and walk numbers over 16 starts, but he has surrendered an MLB-leading 20 homers.
Getting either Ryu or Manoah back would theoretically fill the rotation. Yet neither player is a lock to perform well and everyone aside from Gausman has been shaky at times in the not too distant past. Toronto lacks reliable depth beyond the top four — hence the Richards bullpen games — and they’ve been fortunate to avoid an injury to any of their starters (Ryu’s surgery rehab aside).
Adding another starter indeed looks like an obvious goal for the front office. Atkins acknowledged a few weeks back the club was scouring the market. They’re firmly in a win-now window and would be justified in targeting either impending free agents (i.e. Lucas Giolito or Jordan Montgomery) or players with multiple seasons of club control. Even at 44-37, Toronto is in fourth place in the loaded AL East. They’re tied with the Angels and mere percentage points back of the Yankees for the final two Wild Card spots in the Junior Circuit.
Manoah looks completely shot. They would be better off giving Flexen a look.
Not a bad pick up for a 5th starter (fexen)
I bet they add someone from the Royals, perhaps Lyles to start.
I hate how that’s the most realistic option for them. Barf
Lorenzen.
Grenke?
Bucs will trade you Hill
Whoa. Red text. Can I get that if I change some letters to numbers?
I’ll take the name Alfr8o if that’s the case.
Maybe. SD is either awful or Pirates bats have come back to life. If it’s the bats they will be buyers. ARZ LA will let us know.
Get Giolito and a RP from the sox
This made me realize Trevor Richards and Trevor Williams are different people
Its mind-boggling Kikuchi will have banked almost $70 million by the end of 2024. He literally throws dog turds towards home plate.
Jays are 11-5 in Kikuchi starts.
Jays are 10-8 when Gausman starts. He must be mediocre.
Being lefthanded does have its advantages…
Guess that’s why he’s 7-2 and on place for 200 k’s you d bag
Cool! He is on pace for under 200 ks and on pace to lead the league in homeruns allowed. Also, in previous years, his second half is worse. Career first half era around 4.3, career second half around 5.7
when did Kevin gausman become one of the top pitchers in the league. that’s a little over exaggerated in my opinion. I mean he’s been good but I never thought of him as one of the best
You should re-evaluate your prior mis-conceptions.
He’s leading the AL in strikeouts and has the best FiP in the majors he’s been top tier for like 3 years
He’s been one of the best pitchers in the league for 2.5 years now. Probably among the top 3 pitchers in the AL over the past couple of seasons.
Made over 30 starts in 2021 and 2022. Currently leads the league in starts. Also has 3.06 ERA/136 ERA+, could lead the league in FIP for a second year in a row, and the 4th highest K:BB ratio since 2021. He’s an ace on nearly every team.
Bro you serious?
Giolito would be the perfect addition to the Jays. The Jays are definitely in ‘win now’ mode and will give up some top prospects to make a run at the title. It’s amazing how badly Manoah lost it this year. He went from a potential Top 10 MLB pitcher to a complete headcase in 3 months! It will be really hard to pull him out of it. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Toronto dangle Manoah as trade bait for an established MLB starter at the deadline. They know he’s cooked but other teams may feel they can fix him.
The white Sox are giddy this is such a buyers market. They are going to a huge haul for Giolito and nice returns in Lance Lynn, Graveman, Joe Kelly, and if they make Cease available they could clean out another teams farm system…
Doubt that there’s a huge haul for Giolito with him being a rental. But you never know. Maybe a teams really desperate due to an injury or poor performance with their starters and want to go all in. The White Sox certainly hope so.
The Jays are also right against the next tier of the luxury tax. Who ever they could acquire will cost more because of the penalties. I think they go for a #6/long man type and hope Ryu can give them decent innings.
Other team can eat $ for better prospects.
@YourDreamGM
Their best prospect is Tiedeman. He’s been on the IL since early May with an arm thing. I don’t think GM’s are going to give up something of significance and eat cash to take a risk Tiedeman.
Next best are Barger and Barriera. Both Chapman and Merrifield are FA’s at the end of the season. Barger should be replacing one of them otherwise it’s getting expensive quickly. Barriera is projected at being 4 years away. Those are the Jays best 3.
I think it’s far more likely they get a #6 guy to cover the expected meltdowns from the rotation than a valuable starter from the lack of prospect depth.
Can’t count on the 2 guys who may come back. Even if they are good they could get hurt or another starter could. They aren’t good enough to just send a #6 out there. Better get a #4 or a good 5. Depends on how many sellers there are. Right now it won’t be cheap. By deadline more sellers may emerge. Many years a rental can be had for a backup catcher prospect and a ball reliever. Platoon outfielder prospect and 5th starter prospect. Prices for minor trades have been high. So deadline might be as well. Too early to call for sure.
Could see them adding aroldis Chapman, his high velo and strike out numbers are just what the jays need
@David Sampson
They’ll add Aroldis right after they put Alomar’s name back to the ring of honour and Osuna is closing games again.
That’s a lot of talented SP and there’s a pretty good shot 1 or more will bounce back. Jays need to learn from past mistakes and get the sort of reliably lock down bullpen that seems to be critical to deep playoff runs these days.
Maybe Cohen will trade you Max.
Call the Tigers about Erod and/or Lorenzen. Sellers market for pitching this year. If the price is right…
A $256 million luxury tax payroll and there’s no starting pitching depth? And can Atkins really add a playoff difference-maker? Think Juan Soto, Raisel Iglesias or Luis Castillo, not Brad Hand, Mitch White or Anthony Bass. Whether the front office will be willing to drain their prospect pool further remains to be seen, but if they are buyers – and they do need to find a rotation replacement for Manoah – can he add players who make this a better playoff team?
Snell should be available…sadly
SD won’t sell.
Let’s get back the “Stro-show” from the Cubs!
How about a bat?