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2021 Blue Jays General Discussion Thread

I wonder if, given the current needs of the team, you maybe don't consider calling Pearson up and using him out of the pen to start with.
 
Nik said:
I wonder if, given the current needs of the team, you maybe don't consider calling Pearson up and using him out of the pen to start with.

Yeah, they did that with Sanchez in 2015 and he joined the roration in 2016.
 
Nik said:
I wonder if, given the current needs of the team, you maybe don't consider calling Pearson up and using him out of the pen to start with.

If they don't right themselves, then maybe, yeah. They're trying to avoid yo-yoing him in and out the rotation and bullpen, which is probably for the best, but if the pen keeps potentially costing them Ws, they probably need to reconsider.

Right now, the obvious concern is making sure he gets back to full health before anything else.
 
Nik said:
This team could really be something if they figure out the bullpen.

I'm having a hard time seeing how they figure it out.  Dolis has really turned into a pumpkin this year after a phenomenal 20 innings last year.  I'm not banking on Merryweather pitching for the Jays again this year.  He's just way too injury prone and doesn't appear close to coming back. 

Getting Borucki/Murphy/Hatch back will be nice but they really don't transform the pen into elite status. 

The offense is certainly good enough to contend...and that's without Springer who is supposed to go out start  his rehab assignment tonight.

I just don't know if they can acquire enough pitching to fix the holes in the rotation/bullpen without giving up a lot of assets.
 
L K said:
I'm having a hard time seeing how they figure it out.  Dolis has really turned into a pumpkin this year after a phenomenal 20 innings last year.  I'm not banking on Merryweather pitching for the Jays again this year.  He's just way too injury prone and doesn't appear close to coming back. 

Getting Borucki/Murphy/Hatch back will be nice but they really don't transform the pen into elite status. 

The offense is certainly good enough to contend...and that's without Springer who is supposed to go out start  his rehab assignment tonight.

I just don't know if they can acquire enough pitching to fix the holes in the rotation/bullpen without giving up a lot of assets.

They don't really need to get the bullpen to the elite level (as nice as that would be), and it might not actually take that much for them to get to pretty good. They're already basically average for the AL. What they need to put them over is a reliable closer and setup guy. They don't even need to be great, just reliable.
 
L K said:
I'm having a hard time seeing how they figure it out.  Dolis has really turned into a pumpkin this year after a phenomenal 20 innings last year.  I'm not banking on Merryweather pitching for the Jays again this year.  He's just way too injury prone and doesn't appear close to coming back. 

Getting Borucki/Murphy/Hatch back will be nice but they really don't transform the pen into elite status. 

Edit: Didn't see busta wrote the same thing, just better.
 
bustaheims said:
L K said:
I'm having a hard time seeing how they figure it out.  Dolis has really turned into a pumpkin this year after a phenomenal 20 innings last year.  I'm not banking on Merryweather pitching for the Jays again this year.  He's just way too injury prone and doesn't appear close to coming back. 

Getting Borucki/Murphy/Hatch back will be nice but they really don't transform the pen into elite status. 

The offense is certainly good enough to contend...and that's without Springer who is supposed to go out start  his rehab assignment tonight.

I just don't know if they can acquire enough pitching to fix the holes in the rotation/bullpen without giving up a lot of assets.

They don't really need to get the bullpen to the elite level (as nice as that would be), and it might not actually take that much for them to get to pretty good. They're already basically average for the AL. What they need to put them over is a reliable closer and setup guy. They don't even need to be great, just reliable.

In fairness I'm putting more emphasis on the injury plagued more recent stretch but since May 1st they are one of the bottom 5 bullpens in the league.  I guess I'm just a little concerned that even with some guys coming back that the bullpen is cratering out more than adjusting to mediocre. It's not like they have been incredibly unlucky over this stretch.  Their BaBIP is .287
 
L K said:
In fairness I'm putting more emphasis on the injury plagued more recent stretch but since May 1st they are one of the bottom 5 bullpens in the league.  I guess I'm just a little concerned that even with some guys coming back that the bullpen is cratering out more than adjusting to mediocre. It's not like they have been incredibly unlucky over this stretch.  Their BaBIP is .287

Even in that stretch, numbers for the bullpen have been very middle of the pack overall. They've had some really terrible games that have impacted how they're perceived, but, overall, they've been, well, average. It's the guys they've had to rely on from the 8th inning on where there's been trouble - especially in the 9th and extras. Way too many walks from the back end of the pen.
 
Injuries are up in baseball by a lot but the Jays pitching woes:

Carl Edwards Jr - 60-Day DL (Oblique)
Rafael Dolis - 10-Day DL (Finger....except the team said his entire hand went numb and he couldn't feel the ball)
Julian Merryweather - 60-Day DL (Oblique)
Stephen Matz - COVID-19
AJ Cole - 60-Day DL (Neck Tightness)
Kirby Yates - 60-Day DL (Tommy John Surgery)
David Phelps - 60-Day DL (Right Lat Surgery)
Tommy Milone - 60-Day DL (Left shoulder inflammation)
Anthony Kay - 10-Day DL (Blister)
Travis Bergen - 10-Day DL (Forearm strain)
Ryan Borucki - 10-Day DL (Forearm strain)
Thomas Hatch - 60-Day DL (Elbow Impingement)
Patrick Murphy - 60-Day DL (AC Sprain)

They even got Montoyo to swear in a post-game press conference.

They are 21-26 against teams .500 or better
They are 12-16 against the AL East
They are 11-2 in Interleague play (playing Miami/Atlanta/Washington)
8.5 games back of the division
6.5 games back of the 2nd wildcard
They are one of 13 teams with a positive run differential

Springer is about to come back but they need pitching help yesterday. 
 
6 runs in the 9th for a come from behind win. Vladdy knocks in the winning run by pulling a 95mph fastball on the outside corner into the left field gap. What a monster.
 
Vlad declined to participate in the home run derby.  Too bad as it would have been fun to see him mash in Coors but I get it.  He lost a home run derby where he hit 91 home runs to a guy who hit 57.  That has to be exhausting on your arms
 
It's unlikely that he makes the All-Star team but if he did, it'd be fun to see Bichette in there in his place. His swings from the heels could produce some big air in Colorado.
 

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