Kevin Gausman is one of a few Blue Jays pitchers who has been a bit behind this spring. The Jays scratched him from a throwing session on Monday as he dealt with “general fatigue” in his throwing shoulder. While any mention of shoulder discomfort for a pitcher of Gausman’s caliber will raise some concern, it doesn’t appear to be an issue that’ll carry into the year.
Manager John Schneider said yesterday the Jays were hopeful to have their ace working off a mound again by next Monday. In an appearance on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio with Steve Phillips and Xavier Scruggs this afternoon, Gausman downplayed any concern. “Just had to slow it down a little bit and not jump in to facing hitters right away, but I’ll be ready for the regular season,” he said.
There are just under three weeks until Opening Day. Gausman, if healthy and fully built up, would get the call for that tilt against the Rays. The Jays certainly aren’t going to force the issue for a largely symbolic honor, so they could elect to hold off his season debut until their series opener against the Astros on April 1.
That would likely leave the Opening Day assignment to Chris Bassitt. He and Gausman will be joined in the season-opening starting five by José Berríos and Yusei Kikuchi. The Jays expected Alek Manoah to secure the fifth starter role entering camp, but he has been delayed by shoulder soreness. If he’s not available to start the season, righty Bowden Francis seems the likeliest candidate to step in. Francis pitched to a 1.73 ERA over 20 MLB appearances in long relief last year. He has never started a big league game but reached as many as four innings out of the bullpen. Francis has started two of three spring appearances, working eight frames of three-run ball with 10 strikeouts.
Mitch White must also make the MLB roster or be offered to other teams, as he has exhausted his minor league options. He has worked in a swing capacity at the big league level and owns an ERA just under 5.00 over 161 1/3 MLB innings. Unlike Francis, White is off to a rocky start to the spring. He has walked six with just a pair of strikeouts in six innings spanning three relief outings. He’d probably be ticketed for long relief if Francis grabs the fifth starter spot.
Offseason signee Yariel Rodríguez and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann could factor into the rotation mix over the course of the year. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet wrote last night that neither player is viewed as a realistic candidate to break camp, however. Rodríguez sat out last season after pitching in the World Baseball Classic as he waited for MLB to declare him a free agent. Tiedemann had a pair of stints on the minor league injured list and was limited to 44 innings over 15 appearances across four levels.
The Jays will need to be cautious with the workloads for both pitchers, an easier task if they open the year in Triple-A. They’ve each been a little behind in camp. Rodríguez has battled back spasms and Tiedemann was delayed by leg inflammation. Neither injury is serious and both pitchers should soon see game action.
Bowden Francis is streets ahead of Mitch White. But, I think White could be solid out the BP. Jays have to be regretting losing Frasso for a guy that Frasso could probably replace immediately.
The trade was awful but Frasso just had shoulder surgery and is going to miss the entire season.
Mitch White has a negative 1.5 WAR since joining the Jays. If he ends up leaving the organization at the end of spring training, that trade is a clear loss for Toronto and a clear win for LA, even if neither of the prospects for the Dodgers ever make the majors.
The Dodgers win by simply avoiding having a negative WAR player subtracting value from the team. If either of the prospects (most likely Frasso) actually turn into something, this is a runaway win for LA.
Look I really didn’t like the trade and don’t like this FO in general but that is a really overly simplistic evaluation.
White was not a negative WAR player for the dodgers, you also didn’t include who took White’s roster spot.
What complicated way of looking at it makes this a great move?
No one said it was a good move, I’ve called it awful twice.
But white wasn’t a negative WAR player for the dodgers so saying something like they dodgers won just by getting him off their roster is complete rubbish
Based on his performance since the trade, it was a win getting him off their roster. Why would his pre-trade performance have any relevance to that equation?
What does his blue jays performance have to do with his value, performance and utilization when he was a dodger?
Are you suggesting players put up the same stats no matter the environment, their utilization, their coaching, their prep, their strategy? Etc
To add Ryan Moronta took Mitch Whites spot on the dodgers roster following the trade and had a 5+ FIP in his next 23 innings.
Lastly no one seems to mention that the jays also acquired Alex De Jesus as part of the package too, he’s still young and despite some injuries has performed well and could be of some value one day.
I hate that you guys have me defending this trash FO
Once again you miss the mark dusty.
The point of the 2022 deadline was to go all-in. You don’t go all-in with Mitch White. Jays needed a killer in the rotation and didn’t get it. They didn’t get that extra arm in the 2021-22 offseason they needed either. Mitch White is merely a representation of why the Jays fall short every season.
Well then I retract the immediately.
Given the opening day starter jinx the jays got going on this is probably a good thing
Gausman bout to rack up the fantasy stats for me! Glad he’s ok.
If Gausman is 90% last year Gausman then it’s not going to be so bad. 80% last year Gausman and I’m concerned. Have him miss a start or 2 at the start of the season won’t be so bad.
It’s probably worth noting Bowden Francis was a starter in the minors.
@LordD99
Also worth noting that he was on the 40 man but after pitching so poorly he was removed from it.
No saint – also worth noting Bowden performed very well for the Jays in 2023.
Behind Bo, Gausman is the second most valuable player on the Jays . More than Vlad, and WAR does not tell the full story. Given the pitching depth situation, the Jays need Gausman healthy. Badly.