MONTREAL – The Toronto Blue Jays started the spring in an enviable position. Equipped with a veteran team, they had few pressing roster decisions to make in the course of their Grapefruit League schedule. Let rival teams worry about position battles, all the Blue Jays had to do was finalize the bench, round out the bullpen and head north.
Those few decisions are proving challenging, though, and will likely go down to the final spring game. Manager John Gibbons and GM Ross Atkins have plans to discuss their options after Friday’s exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and again Saturday. Then, nearly seven weeks after spring training began, they will they have their 25-man roster.
“I think we have a pretty good idea, but it’s something that may take going down to the wire,” Gibbons said. “It’s never easy, because it’s going to cost someone a big-league job, but it’s what you’ve got to do.”
Devon Travis, who did not make the trip to Montreal for two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, will be on the club’s opening day roster “unless something flares up on him” in Florida, over the weekend, Gibbons said. The second baseman has progressed rapidly from the bone bruise that troubled him early in spring, easing concerns that he’d have to start the season on the disabled list.
“I was a little bit concerned that if he didn’t play enough it’d affect his hitting, but we saw no signs of that,” Gibbons said.
With Travis penciled in as the second baseman, there’s just one roster spot for outfielder Melvin Upton Jr., and out of options utility player Ryan Goins. Upton offers more offence, having proven himself as a masher of left-handed pitching, while Goins’ glove is an asset on the infield.
The Blue Jays are considering three relievers for two spots: Ryan Tepera and Aaron Loup, who can be optioned to the minor-leagues, and Mike Bolsinger, who would have to clear waivers to go to triple-A.
One way or another, the Blue Jays will need contributions from many players who open the season in the minors. The season’s too long to avoid attrition, particularly in the bullpen. Still, Gibbons knows the Blue Jays’ hopes of contending are closely tied to the health of their stars.
“Some of your main, core guys, that can be a big thing,” Gibbons said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate the last couple of years, staying really healthy. Some of the teams in our league that we’re up against have gotten hit pretty hard.”
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SANCHEZ’S BLISTER IMPROVING: The blister that bothered Aaron Sanchez in his most recent spring start is improving, but the Blue Jays are staying cautious with the young right-hander nonetheless. Sanchez didn’t make the trip to Montreal, and instead of pitching in a minor-league game this weekend, he’s expected to throw an extended side session in preparation for his first start of the season next Saturday.
“He feels better, but we thought it might be crazy to pitch him in a minor-league game and take a chance,” Gibbons said.
A blister on Sanchez’s pitching hand caused him discomfort Tuesday, but he said afterwards he wasn’t worried it would prevent him from starting the season.
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GIBBONS ASSESSES AL EAST: The American League East again looks like a deep division entering the 2017 season. Even though the once-dominant Yankees are essentially rebuilding on the fly, the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Orioles all made the 2016 playoffs and the Rays can’t be counted out, either. Gibbons sees potential in all four of the Blue Jays division rivals, starting with the talented but banged-up Red Sox.
“They’re going to be minus David Ortiz,” Gibbons said. “He’s been such a key guy for that team over the years, and he had such a good year last year, so it’s going to be a different look. But they’ve got as much talent as anyone in baseball top to bottom, and then of course they picked up (Chris) Sale. They took a big hit, though, with David Price going down and (Drew) Pomeranz.
“The Yankees are probably a little underrated. I like that team. I like what I saw in spring training. You go back to last year when they stripped it down and traded some key guys, they hung around. They put some young kids out there and they responded pretty good, with (Gary) Sanchez being the primary guy.
“Baltimore’s a powerhouse offence. I think the key for them is how their starting pitching holds up because they arguably have the best bullpen out there again.
“And then you have Tampa. Tampa had a different style last year, more of a slugging team than they’d been in the past. They’ve still got a very, very good rotation and if those guys stay healthy, who knows. They’ve always been our nemesis to begin with.”
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RANKING THE ROTATION: Considering the Blue Jays’ rotation led the American League in innings pitched and ERA last year, many observers were surprised to see FanGraphs rank Toronto’s starting five 16th among the 30 teams, Gibbons included.
“I don’t think there are 15 better than we are,” he said. “I don’t get too caught up in that, but that got my attention.”
As for the bullpen, the Blue Jays expect many of their “main guys” to follow Marcus Stroman Friday night, setting up consecutive off days before the season opener in Baltimore Monday. Saturday’s relief efforts will depend more heavily on some of the minor-leaguers who made the trip to Montreal.
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