ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — Right-hander Tom Koehler will become the 13th pitcher to make a start for the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday afternoon when he steps into the club’s rotation to face the Tampa Bay Rays.
“I’m really excited to join this organization. It’s a fresh start for me,” Koehler said. “I just want to come over here and contribute for six weeks and see what happens.”
Acquired Saturday for minor league right-hander Osman Gutierrez and cash considerations, Koehler will be making his first major league appearance for any team other than the Miami Marlins, who drafted him in 2008.
“We like him — good arm,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “I’ve heard nothing but good things.”
J.A. Happ was scheduled to start Thursday but his start will now be pushed back to Friday night when the Blue Jays open a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays have been looking for a way to give Happ, who has thrown 101.2 innings on the season, and Marcus Stroman, who’s pitched 159.1 going into his start Wednesday night, an extra day of rest.
“Figured it was a good time of year to do that,” Gibbons said. “They could both use it, you know?”
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Gibbons said the club would hold off on announcing its starters for Saturday and Sunday until later. Nick Tepesch was scheduled to start Friday, but he’s currently on the paternity list and away from the team as his wife gives birth to the couple’s second child. He’s expected to return this weekend.
Joe Biagini could also factor into the club’s plans over the next week. The right-hander has been pitching for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons since early August, making four appearances as he gets stretched out as a starter. He pitched well for Buffalo Tuesday night, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking none.
The Blue Jays are planning for Biagini to make his next start in the majors, although they aren’t yet ready to announce the date.
“He was really good [last night,]” Gibbons said. “Now he’s ready to go.”
After making his major-league debut in 2012, Koehler was a mainstay in Miami’s rotation through the 2016 season when he pitched to a 4.33 ERA over 33 starts. This year he’s made only 12 starts for the Marlins — pitching to a 7.92 ERA — as he was yo-yo’ed between triple-A and the majors. He also missed time in late May with a case of right shoulder bursitis.
“I’m just really excited to be here. I’ve heard great things about the organization and the city,” Koehler said. “I’ve been with one organization my whole career. So, to get to go play somewhere where you not only represent the team and the city, but you represent the whole country, I’m pretty excited about that.”
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Koehler throws a fastball, change-up, curveball and slider. His fastball averages 93 mph, and he’ll mix and match with his two breaking pitches from there. He uses his change-up scarcely, but still worked it in seven per cent of the time last season.
“Any count, any time. I’m not afraid to throw anything,” Koehler said. “Depending on which breaking ball feels better that day, I might favour the other one. But I would say it’s a four-pitch mix and I’m not afraid to use it at any moment.
“It’s not flashy. Nothing exciting, really,” Koehler continued. “But I’m going to give it everything I’ve got every time I take the mound. I’m going to do whatever I can to keep the team in a position to win that ballgame. Whatever role it is, and whatever inning it is when Gibby tells me I’m done, I’m going to know that I left everything I had out there and I have no regrets with that.”
Koehler pitched in Toronto once during his Marlins tenure, allowing five earned runs over 6.2 innings in 2015. More than 44,000 fans packed the Rogers Centre that day and Koehler says he remembers it well.
“I’m excited to have all those fans on my side now,” Koehler said. “Because the place was rocking pretty good”
Koehler will wear number 34 for the Blue Jays, which the club’s first base coach, Tim Leiper, graciously gave up for him. Leiper was Koehler’s manager when he was pitching for the double-A Jacksonville Suns in 2010.
“He’s already sent me a couple of pictures of bass boats and things that he wanted in return,” Koehler said with a smile. “So I don’t think it was just out of the kindness of his heart.”
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