Photo credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
José Berrios throwing his highly anticipated spring debut Monday creates an incredibly exciting competition for the final rotation spots.
Seeing the veteran righty finally get his turn against the New York Mets brings a massive surge of anticipation to camp.
The front office completely overhauled the pitching staff this winter with absolute blockbuster acquisitions and savvy depth additions.
Bringing in massive arms like Dylan Cease and Shane Bieber immediately changed the entire competitive dynamic of this clubhouse.
Suddenly, a deeply respected veteran is fighting hard to secure his exact role on a championship caliber roster.
Reading the latest pitching schedule updates provides a thrilling glimpse into the daily strategic decisions happening down south.
Tuesday vs. New York Yankees: TBD
Wednesday @ Detroit: Cody Ponce
Thursday vs. Miami: Kevin Gausman
Friday @ Tampa Bay: Eric Lauer
Saturday (split squad) vs. Philadelphia: Dylan Cease
Saturday (split squad) @ New York Yankees: José Berrios
Wednesday @ Detroit: Cody Ponce
Thursday vs. Miami: Kevin Gausman
Friday @ Tampa Bay: Eric Lauer
Saturday (split squad) vs. Philadelphia: Dylan Cease
Saturday (split squad) @ New York Yankees: José Berrios
Eric Lauer and Fernando Perez already made their opening statements over the weekend with very solid initial outings.
Now the spotlight shifts directly onto a guy who has been an absolute rock for this franchise over the years.
The Toronto Blue Jays are building an elite pitching monster
Watching this ridiculous amount of arm talent assemble in Dunedin makes me dream of a glorious parade in November.
Having too many capable starting pitchers is the ultimate luxury that elite organizations use to survive a grueling summer schedule.
José Berrios (Drafted Round 1, 2012 by Minnesota Twins) completely understands the high stakes of this current spring training camp.
The fierce competitor posted a solid 9-5 record alongside a very respectable 4.17 ERA last season.
He also racked up 138 strikeouts, proving his signature breaking ball still possesses major league swing and miss quality.
The sheer volume of depth arms means every single Grapefruit League inning carries massive weight for his future usage.
John Schneider has to carefully evaluate whether his veteran fits better as a traditional starter or a lethal bullpen weapon.
The sports radio discussions about him potentially moving to the bullpen highlight just how deep this roster really goes.
Accepting a multi-inning relief role would require serious humility, but it could make the overall team practically unstoppable late in games.
Healthy internal competition forces every single athlete to elevate their daily preparation and find their absolute maximum output.
Iron sharpens iron, and this totally revamped pitching staff is ready to completely overwhelm the rest of the American League East.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
Unfortunate update regarding Davis Schneider future with the Toronto Blue Jays
Unfortunate update regarding Davis Schneider future with the Toronto Blue Jays
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 24|270 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays announce their starters for the next 6 games Will José Berríos earn a permanent spot in the starting rotation this season? | ||
| Yes | 197 | 73 % |
| No | 73 | 27 % |
| List of polls | ||