TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays will open the season without their most accomplished reliever now that right-hander Kirby Yates has been sidelined with a flexor-pronator strain in his pitching arm. The injury, which was announced by the team on Monday, will cost Yates multiple weeks and test the Blue Jays’ already-depleted pitching staff even further.
While the Blue Jays are still gathering information on the status of Yates’ arm, the best-case scenario involves getting through high-leverage innings with the likes of Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis, David Phelps, Ryan Borucki and perhaps Tyler Chatwood.
Considering Yates appeared in just six games last year before having bone chips removed from his pitching elbow, there’s a chance the Blue Jays have to do without the 33-year-old for much longer than three weeks.
"You're always bummed. Especially for the man – for Kirby himself, a guy that didn't get to pitch much last year and shows up this year expecting to be a big piece of the back of our bullpen,” said Ross Stripling, who built up to 68 pitches in the Blue Jays’ 4-3 Grapefruit League win over Detroit on Monday. “And he still might be ... but when you hear something like that, especially elbow stuff, you just feel for the guy.”
Less than two weeks ago, Yates said he was fully ready to pitch in games. After easing his way back into action this spring, he was excited to face hitters in Grapefruit League games.
Two appearances later, his early-season outlook has changed considerably. Yates made his spring debut on March 11, pitching one shutout inning against the Detroit Tigers and topping out at 93.8 m.p.h. on the radar gun. Nine days later, on Saturday, he pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out two in a scoreless inning of work during which he topped out at 93.
When healthy, Yates has been among the game's best relievers. As a member of the 2019 Padres, he posted a 1.19 ERA with a league-leading 41 saves on his way to an all-star selection and Cy Young votes. In 60.2 innings that year, he walked only 13 while striking out 101.
Now, the Blue Jays must find ways to navigate late-game leverage situations without him. At this point, the plan is to use different relievers in the closer’s role depending on matchups, game situations and rest.
“I don’t see the need to have just one closer,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “We’ve got different guys that can do it.”
Last year the Blue Jays opened the season with Ken Giles as closer, but an elbow injury sidelined him for most of the season before he underwent Tommy John surgery. While Giles was sidelined, the likes of Romano, Dolis and the since-departed Anthony Bass filled in. This spring, a similar approach will likely be used to replace Yates, who signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal over the winter.
“I don’t care at all,” Stripling said when asked how the Blue Jays should handle their save opportunities. “I trust them all.”
Considering how well Romano pitched in high-leverage spots last year, he figures to be a leading candidate for saves again this spring. And it’s a role he’d embrace if the Blue Jays ask that of him eventually.
For now, he’s simply pleased that he has regained feel for his slider after ending his 2020 season on the injured list. At this point he doesn’t sound particularly worried about which inning he pitches.
“I kind of like it when they spring it on me,” Romano said after striking out all three Tigers he faced. “I like the anticipation and not really knowing. But seventh, eighth, ninth, whatever they ask me to do, I’ll be ready.”
Starters Nate Pearson (right groin) and Thomas Hatch (right elbow) have also dealt with injuries this spring. Considering that the Blue Jays play 16 consecutive games from April 3-18, the loss of that pitching depth is troubling.
At this point in the spring, few pitchers remain available in free agency, but the likes of Shane Greene (2.60 ERA, 3.81 FIP in 28 games last year), Tyler Thornburg (2.86 ERA, 2.48 FIP in seven games) and A.J. Ramos (3.38 ERA, 10.69 FIP in three games) do remain available.
Before too long, though, there will be opportunity to pursue pitchers in other organizations. Many veteran pitchers have out clauses in their minor-league deals, so as opening day nears some of those pitchers will become free agents again. Plus, many out of options relievers will be exposed to waivers, creating further opportunity for interested teams.
How aggressively the Blue Jays pursue pitchers from other organizations will of course depend on how they assess their own internal relief depth. Veterans Francisco Liriano (March 25) and Tommy Milone (March 27) have opt-outs of their own approaching, and those dates will factor into the team’s decision making as opening day approaches.
Ultimately, there are options out there, but this isn’t the ideal time to try to add relievers. That was a month or two ago, back when the Blue Jays landed Yates in the hopes of solidifying the bullpen of a contending team.
As long as Yates stays sidelined, there’s little to no hope of replicating his upside. But Blue Jays decision makers often note that the overall pitching depth of the organization is much stronger now than it was a couple of years ago. In the weeks ahead, that depth will likely be put to the test in some high-leverage moments.
