As the Blue Jays continue to search for a fifth starter, Sal Fasano says he might have a couple of solutions.
Fasano, who is the manager of the Blue Jays’ double-A affiliate in New Hampshire, likes what he’s seen so far from starters Chad Jenkins and Drew Hutchison, but hinted they may not be ready for the Blue Jays vacant April 21st assignment in Kansas City.
“Both (Jenkins and Hutchison) could be pretty good options down the road a little bit,” Fasano told Jeff Blair on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Monday. “Drew pitched yesterday and threw pretty well. He used his fastball on both sides of the plate. He used his slider on both sides of the plate. Getting the job done. A lot of ground balls.
“Jenkins is a big old horse,” he continued. “He’s got a chance to throw a ton of sinkers. Still working on his slider. He’s got a change-up that could actually play in the big leagues right now. Both could be good options.”
The Blue Jays kept Hutchison and Jenkins in big-league camp for most of spring training to give them a taste of major league hitters.
Fasano said the time spent with the Blue Jays’ players and coaches was of great benefit to the young pitchers and he has noticed an improvement in their work ethic since returning to New Hampshire.
“They just want to compete and fight,” Fasano explained. “You see a maturity level with them and they see how important work ethic is. I think when they start tasting it, their work jumps up and it’s fun to come to work every day.”
One pitcher who won’t be considered for the vacant spot in the rotation is Brett Cecil, who still needs to work on his mechanics in double-A according to Fasano.
Cecil, who was originally projected as the Blue Jays’ No. 3 starter, continues to struggle on the mound but Fasano has been impressed with his demeanor and willingness to learn.
“We’ve spoke a couple times about his delivery and we saw a little bit of a spike in his velocity already, he is only 25-year-old,” said Fasano. “You have ups and downs. He is still young and has a lot to learn about throwing. Mechanics aren’t that bad but need a little tweaking. He’s been great; been one of the first kids to come to the ballpark. Really a good teammate — we forget about it at times. Really a good asset.
“Sometimes we forget what’s important — throwing the fastball. We look at his numbers and he threw 60 per cent fastballs. Going to try and address that and get that number back up… Got good enough command and he has a few more issues that we have to weed in and weed out. But once he get it, he’ll be just fine.
The Blue Jays are still evaluating a group of pitchers, which includes both Hutchison and Jenkins, in their system to take the hill in Kansas City. The team has been using a four-man rotation with starter Dustin McGowan on the 15-day disabled list.
Prior to Sunday’s 9-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, Blue Jays manager John Farrell wouldn’t say how many candidates remain in the running for Saturday, but he did offer a clue.
“I don’t have an exact number, but you’ve seen them all in spring training,” he said. “And without every minor league rotation in front of me, who’s up for (the 21st), you can probably think of the guys who started opening day or first or second game (of the season).”
Aaron Laffey is another pitcher who will be considered by Farrell and the Blue Jays. He started the opener for the triple-A Las Vegas 51s, but after a brief stint with Toronto working out of the bullpen, Laffey was sent back down following Saturday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
“We wanted to get Aaron back (to Las Vegas) and get stretched back out to be a candidate for the 21st,” said Farrell. “That decision on who will be starting (Apr. 21) has yet to be made.”
The Blue Jays have a 5-4 record and finish off their nine-game homestand with a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays starting on Tuesday night.
