DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Toronto Blue Jays began spring training with their share of uncertainty on the pitching staff and while Thursday’s signings don’t completely answer those questions, starter Clay Buchholz and reliever Bud Norris provide manager Charlie Montoyo with a pair of established, low-risk options.
The minor-league deal with Norris gives Montoyo a veteran arm who saved 28 games for the Cardinals last season. When the day began, only Ken Giles, Ryan Tepera, Tim Mayza and (if healthy) David Phelps were assured of spots in the opening day bullpen. Norris, who averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings while posting a 3.59 ERA in 2018, seemingly has a legitimate chance of joining that group.
Buchholz, whose deal was first reported by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, gives the Blue Jays another established candidate for the rotation. The right-hander posted a 2.01 ERA in 98.1 innings with the Diamondbacks last season, and even though no one expects him to sustain that kind of run prevention, his career ERA+ of 112 reflects the fact that he has effectively limited scoring over the course of his 12-year career.
When the spring began, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Matt Shoemaker and Clayton Richard were all assured of starting jobs, so the addition of Buchholz seems to impact rookie Ryan Borucki more than anyone else. Borucki, who posted a 3.87 ERA in 17 starts with Toronto last year, was viewed as the favourite to break camp as the club’s fifth starter, but the addition of Buchholz increases the chances that he’ll begin the season on option at Buffalo.
That said, each of the Blue Jays’ top four starters missed time with injuries last year, so opportunities will inevitably emerge for the likes of Borucki, Sean Reid-Foley, Thomas Pannone and Trent Thornton.
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As for Norris, he arrives in a young Toronto clubhouse less than a year after making national news for the way he enforced team rules with rookie Jordan Hicks. Norris was described as ‘mercilessly riding’ Hicks in an article at the Athletic that led to a controversy last summer, but Hicks later said that Norris had the ‘best intentions’ in mind.
“I think he’s nudging me in the right direction,” Hicks told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That’s the best way to put it. I’m a rookie. I need guys guiding me. He actually does care about me.”
Still, the incident caught the attention of Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.
“Any time you read the initial headline, you have to be concerned,” Mozeliak said at the time. “There is a hierarchy in any clubhouse, but we don’t want there to be any time where a young player feels he is not welcome so that he cannot be himself. There are expectations. There are rules. … Jordan is learning and growing and it’s all at this level.”
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Presumably the Blue Jays looked into Norris’ character before signing him, especially considering that their clubhouse includes young players such as Borucki, Reid-Foley, Danny Jansen, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Realistically, each of those players means much more to the future of the organization than Norris, who turns 34 on Saturday. If a conflict arises again, it’s clear which side the Blue Jays would take.
But if all goes well in Toronto, Norris could become a trade chip later this summer, when the Blue Jays are expected to listen to offers on players who aren’t under long-term club control. Relievers are always in demand at the trade deadline and Norris has struck out more than a batter per inning while making 60-plus appearances in each of the last two seasons.
First things first, though. He has to make the team.
