By: Ty B
The Toronto Blue Jays started their 2021 campaign off on the right foot, taking two-of-three games in the Bronx, however they took a step back in front of capacity crowds at Globe Life Park. The team will bring a 3-3 record into their “home opener” at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida.
No team has been more inconvenienced by COVID-19 than the Blue Jays. As the lone Canadian team in the MLB, Toronto has been the only team forced to relocate their home nest. In fact, they will be only team in modern MLB history to have three consecutive home openers in three different ballparks.
The youthful Blue Jays overcame those obstacles in 2020 to earn a Wild Card position for the playoffs. That experience should help the Jays as they navigate a full 162-game schedule in which they will likely have multiple homes. After a 22-game stint in Dunedin, the team could be moving back home to Toronto or Buffalo is there are still border restrictions.
Resiliency has been shown early from Toronto as they are still without top free agent signing George Springer, top pitching prospect Nate Pearson and strikeout specialist Robbie Ray. Springer suffered a minor left oblique strain which he was cleared from, however he had a major setback as he experienced right quadricep tightness while running the bases. The severity is still unknown, so Jays fans will have to continue to wait on Springer’s debut.
Ray is the closest to returning after falling down the stairs and bruising his elbow. The 29-year-old lefty has resumed normal throwing sessions and should find himself back into the rotation quite soon. After struggling a bit in 2020, the Jays will hope Ray can get back to his old self that averaged over 200 K’s per season from 2016-2019.
Toronto’s no. 1 prospect Nate Pearson is not that far off from his 2021 debut. The youngster had some adductor tightness, but has begun throwing again just not off a mound yet. Look for his impact to be felt beginning in May as the Jays will want the make sure Pearson is 100% before tossing him out there. Pearson offers tremendous upside with a plus, plus fastball that sits in the triple-digits. Pair that will a sweeping slider, a fall-off the cliff changeup, and a trapdoor curveball then you have all the makings for a true Ace.
The Jays have been forced to rely on their pitching early on. Toronto is averaged just 3.33 runs scored per game which is 1.6 runs below league average.
Toronto’s team-ERA ranks seventh in the MLB at 3.12. They are mostly getting hurt by the long ball, but with power numbers up across the league early on due to the change in ball, it is to be expected.
Starter Hyun Jin Ryu has been stellar in his second season with the team. The 2019 NL Cy Young winner has posted a 2.92 ERA in two starts so far in 2021 while boasting 12 K’s to 0 BB’s. Ryu has allowed 3-of-4 earned runs via the long ball, so he will need to cut down on those misses to continue to put the team in a chance to win during his starts.
Ryu will likely not be seen during the Jays’ upcoming four-game home stand versus the Los Angeles Angels as he started in yesterday’s 2-1 loss against the Texas Rangers. Instead Jays fans will see Ross Stripling on the bump for the team’s home opener.
Stripling will be battling to keep his spot in the rotation will Ray and Pearson’s returns looming. The veteran had been a spot starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to the Jays near the 2020 deadline during a down season. At 31-years-old, Stripling can be an effective pitcher if he can get his ERA back below 4.00.
The Jays have yet to announce starters for the rest of the series, but we will likely see T.J. Zeuch, Steven Matz and then Tanner Roark. Zeuch and Matz had great 2021 debuts while Roark allowed five earned runs in just three innings of work. Roark or Zeuch will be battling with Stripling to remain in the rotation while Matz looks like he may be in for a career resurgence after a change of scenery.
The bats have been very inconsistent for Toronto early on in 2021. The team is hitting just .214 and it would be much worse without the contributions of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk. Guerrero Jr. has been able to carryover a hot spring into the start of the 2021 season. Vladdy is hitting .316, but more impressive is his .458 OBP showing off his patience in the batter’s box. You can tell when Vlad is trying to do too much at the plate as evidenced by his late innings pop out yesterday versus his rocketed double into the left field corner.
Grichuk was thought to be pushed into a reserve role with the addition of Springer and Marcus Semien, but Grichuk has continued his hot play from 2020 while remaining a starter with Springer sidelined. The 29-year-old was on pace for career-highs across the board last season and has started 2021 with a .400/.478/.600 slash line along with being tied for the team lead in RBI at five.
Semien’s addition has helped Toronto and allows for a ton of versatility in the lineup. The former Oakland Athletic shortstop has jumped across to start at second base allowing Cavin Biggio to man the hot corner most days. At .240, Semien could improve some at the plate, but he has had some clutch at-bats that have him tied with Grichuk for the team lead in RBI.
Toronto will need their bats to all catch up as they welcome the Angels into Dunedin. The Angels average 5.50 runs per game, but their pitching staff has shown some holes with a 4.83 ERA. Perennial All-Star Mike Trout is doing Mike Trout things with a .368/.556/.737 slash line through six games. Catcher Max Stassi and first baseman Jared Walsh have also been hot to start the season, while we have all seen what Shohei Ohtani can do at the plate and on the mound.
The Blue Jays will take on the Angels for the first of four games tonight as Ross Stripling is slated to throw the first pitch at 7:07 PM. The series will continue with 7:07 PM starts tomorrow and Saturday before wrapping up with a Sunday matinee at 1:07 PM.
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