TORONTO – The Rule 5 draft is an unusual place for a World Series finalist to go talent-shopping, yet the Toronto Blue Jays got creative back in December, and now find themselves with an intriguing asset in Spencer Miles.
A three-inning outing as an opener in Sunday’s 6-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, during which he allowed only two hits while striking out two, was the 25-year-old’s 12th appearance so far and pushed him to 21 frames and counting, his ERA sitting at a tidy 3.00. Considering that prior to this year he’d logged only 15 games and 23.1 innings total since being drafted in 2022, Miles has already provided a worthwhile return, even as he ventures into uncharted territory.
Within that context, an important question for the Blue Jays is how much more work they can reasonably layer on him. Making it more pertinent are the ongoing struggles of Eric Lauer, who entered in the fifth inning and immediately surrendered a decisive four-spot and one of the three homers against him; the uncertainty around Jose Berrios’ elbow; Max Scherzer just beginning to rebuild after a cortisone shot in his right forearm; and Shane Bieber’s return not yet on the horizon.
So, no solution is imminent and perhaps Miles can be a part of one.
“When we started the year, we envisioned multiple innings and a little bit of length out of him, with the possibility with his stuff of pitching shorter, too, if his stuff is how it's been,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “With the injury history, you want to be a little bit careful, but at the same time, you feel comfortable and confident putting him on the team in the first place. We'll see and see how he feels in the next couple of days.”
With a sinker that’s averaged 96.2 m.p.h. in shorter bursts, a four-seamer in a similar range, a curveball and a slider he picked up during the spring, Miles has the repertoire to turn over a lineup.
Notable is that his velocity held over the three innings Sunday.
But he’s also in the midst of a wild crash course in pitching, having essentially missed the past three years. Given the back and elbow surgeries that sidelined him, maintaining a reasonable workload this year is a must before trying to build on that base in 2027.
Still, the way he handled a right-handed heavy Angels lineup out of the gate Sunday made it easy to wonder how Miles might handle being stretched out a little further, at least until the Blue Jays stabilize this spot in the rotation.
“I definitely think I can still do it down the road,” Miles said of starting again one day. “Four or five days of rest, pitch count's obviously higher, but you get those multiple days off to recoup and heal. In the bullpen, it's a different mindset more than anything. You're out there trying to get three outs, six outs, whatever they ask of you that day and then you've got to be ready to do it again the next day. In the starter role, it's a calmer mindset, hit your spot, as opposed to just letting it rip. I'm totally capable of being a starter again.”
Lauer believes he’s capable of pitching well enough to again succeed as a starter, although he conceded that right now he doesn’t consider himself “a shoo-in for a rotation spot, that's for sure.”
Trying to implement some mechanical changes to his lower half, he had another Jekyll and Hyde outing, walking Nolan Schanuel before a two-run Oswald Peraza homer right out of the gate, while surrendering a two-run double to Vaughn Grissom later in the inning for a 4-1 Angels lead.
Jo Adell added solo shots in the sixth and ninth innings, although Lauer also retired eight in a row in between the two drives. Regardless, he’s allowed 11 home runs this season, eight on four-seam fastballs, in 36.1 innings.
Lauer works off his fastball and his ongoing search for his lost velocity – he’s at 90.4 m.p.h., this year, down from 91.7 last season – continues. He had it March 29 in his first start of the season, striking out nine over 5.1-innings of two-run ball against the Athletics, but he caught a flu bug after and has been chasing his season since.
“Those kind of results are what I'm looking for, obviously,” said Lauer. “It was great coming out like that and then kind of got knocked on my ass a little bit. But making adjustments is part of the game and you've got to be able to do it, and you've got to be able to do it quick to stay. That's where I'm at right now. Making sure that I'm working on things between (starts), going out there and trying to pitch as well as I possibly can.”
As that plays out, the Blue Jays have other issues to work through, too.
Jose Soriano allowed Kazuma Okamoto’s RBI double in the first and then little else over 7.2 innings against a lineup missing Addison Barger, scratched before the game due to right elbow soreness.
Schneider said the outfielder, just back from a left ankle sprain Saturday, underwent an MRI after waking up with a “lack of range of motion.” Barger unleashed a 101.2 m.p.h. throw from right field in the second inning of a 14-1 win to get Jorge Soler at home and, atypically, had his elbow wrapped in ice afterwards.
The Blue Jays will know more about his status Monday, but they need him to help an offence in which Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is suddenly slumping, now 6-for-37 over his last 10 games. He came up with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, but hooked a slider diving out of the zone from Sam Bachman to third base, averting any late-game drama.
For the time being, drama is the domain of the rotation, where Lauer continues to search for answers, and Miles is working to try and become one.
