Patrick Corbin gives John Schneider the ball Monday as the Blue Jays open a 4-game set against the Yankees with their rotation plan mostly in place.
Toronto's projected starters for the Bronx are lined up as Corbin on Monday, Dylan Cease on Tuesday, Trey Yesavage on Wednesday, and a still-open Thursday spot that could involve Spencer Miles. The Yankees are currently lined up with Ryan Weathers, Will Warren, Cam Schlittler, and Carlos Rodón.
That is a pretty clear look at how the Blue Jays want to attack this series. They are keeping the front 3 in order, then dealing with the open spot at the back instead of forcing a bigger shuffle.
Corbin opening the series matters because he has quietly become a stabilizer for this staff. For a club still covering around injuries, getting a veteran left-hander into Game 1 keeps the rest of the plan cleaner.
Tuesday is the louder matchup. Cease against Warren gives Toronto its best pure swing-and-miss arm against a Yankees club that can punish mistakes fast. Cease has looked like the kind of starter who can change the feel of a whole series.
Then comes Yesavage on Wednesday, which says plenty about how much trust the Blue Jays have in the rookie right now. Toronto is not hiding him in a softer spot. It is handing him a road start in Yankee Stadium.
-
Thursday is the one spot still hanging over Toronto
That is where this series gets interesting. Thursday remains TBA for the Blue Jays, and FanGraphs' probable grid points to Spencer Miles as the likely direction if Toronto stays internal.
Miles being tied to that game makes sense. Toronto has been trying to manage the fifth spot without dragging Kevin Gausman, Corbin, or Cease off their normal rhythm, and Miles gives Schneider a flexible arm who can open or cover length.
The problem is the opponent. Rodón is projected for Thursday, so if that pairing holds, Toronto could be asking a patched-together pitching plan to face one of the Yankees' tougher left-handers.
That is why the first 3 games matter so much. If Corbin, Cease, and Yesavage give Toronto a real chance early, Schneider can afford to get creative at the back of the set.
And that is the shape of this series for the Blue Jays. The top 3 starters are set, the fourth game is still a moving target, and a tough week in New York is about to test just how steady this rotation can really be.
Do you trust the Blue Jays rotation to win this series in New York?
Also read on Blue Jays Insider :
Blue Jays lose another pitcher to IL in tough roster blow
