A Marcus Stroman slip-up during a bunt drill has significantly altered plans for the Toronto Blue Jays' starting pitching rotation.
The right-hander suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during pitchers' fielding practice at spring training Tuesday and likely will miss the entire 2015 season.
So, the trickle-down effect of this news goes as follows:
- Daniel Norris's career as a full-time major league starter might be accelerated.
- Newcomer Marco Estrada may return to starting after finishing last season in Milwaukee's bullpen.
- Plans to turn Aaron Sanchez into a closer could be shelved.
Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters in Dunedin, Fla., that Stroman's spot in the rotation would be filled internally, meaning Norris, Estrada and Sanchez are battling for two spots behind R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Drew Hutchison.
Norris, who turns 22 on April 25, is the Jays' top pitching prospect but has all of 6 2/3 innings on his major league resume. In his first spring start on March 5, Norris tossed a scoreless 1 2/3 innings against a well-stocked Baltimore lineup, reaching 92-94 miles per hour on the radar gun and throwing 22 of his 36 pitches for strikes. Norris, who started one game for Toronto in September after compiling a 2.53 earned-run average across three minor-league levels, had arthroscopic surgery in early October to remove bone spurs and loose bodies in his left (throwing) elbow.
The 31-year-old right-hander was acquired in a Nov. 1 trade for first baseman Adam Lind and immediately had his name thrown in the mix for the vacant fifth-starter's job. His chances of joining the rotation after averaging more than 20 starts the past three seasons, have increased. Largely a fastball-changeup artist, Estrada struck out 127 batters over 150 2/3 innings last season but his penchant for allowing home runs (29 in 2014) won't be welcome at hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. The veteran swingman had a 4.96 earned-run average in 18 starts but a 2.89 mark in 21 games as a reliever. On Saturday, Estrada pitched two scoreless innings versus Philadelphia, facing the minimum six hitters.
Last September, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters the organization viewed Sanchez as a starter, with front-line starter potential. While many assumed he would start the season as Toronto's closer, Sanchez probably would be more valuable as a starter and is being stretched out at spring training. The 22-year-old fireballer tossed three hitless and scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, with his fastball being clocked at 96 miles per hour. Sanchez was outstanding late last season. His 1.09 earned-run average, albeit in 33 innings, was second-lowest in the majors to Kansas City's Wade Davis. He allowed only 14 hits and one homer while holding the opposition to a .128 batting average.
The 29-year-old Redmond pitched 42 games out of the Toronto bullpen last season mainly as a long man, posting a 3.24 ERA, but did make 14 starts in 2013.
Hendriks, 26, made three starts for the Blue Jays in 2014 (6.08 ERA) before he was part of a July 28 trade to Kansas City that brought infielder Danny Valencia to Toronto. The Blue Jays re-acquired the Australian at the end of October.
Jenkins has appeared in 44 games, including six starts, with Toronto over the last three seasons. The right-hander with a heavy sinker has been useful out of the bullpen, posting a 2.56 ERA in 2014 with only six walks in 31 2/3 innings.
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