A look at how our pitchers performed the last two weeks.
There is some news: Jose Urena will start tonight. I have no idea how many pitches they are expecting from him.
Over the past two weeks, the Blue Jays have been 4-7. The pitchers’ ERA was 5.34. With the hitters scoring less than two runs a game and the pitchers allowing over five runs a game, it is amazing we won four.
Hot
José Berríos: 2 starts, 0-0, 1.50 ERA. In 12.0 innings, batters hit .255/.300/.277 with 0 home runs, 3 walks and 12 strikeouts.
One Quality Start, one that would have been, but he was pulled at 5.1 innings. He allowed six home runs in his first five starts, but none in the last two. His ERA is coming down almost every start. After his first start, it was 10.80. Now it is 3.89. Compared to last year, his strikeout rate is up a bit, and so is his walk rate.
Jeff Hoffman: 4 games, 1-0, 2 saves, 0.00 ERA. In 5 innings, batters hit .167/.211/.278 with 0 home runs, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.
He’s been terrific, he’s got three wins in extra-inning games, doing a great stranding the Manfred Man. That’s not an easy thing to do. Jordan Romano had a few wins that way, too. Hoffman has thrown two innings three times this year, so the team isn’t worried about whatever the Orioles and Braves found in their physicals.
Mason Fluharty: 5 games, 2-0, 1 hold, 1.50 ERA. In 6 innings, batters hit .059/.150/.118 with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.
He’s been terrific.
Cold
Bowden Francis: 3 starts, 0-3, 10.50 ERA. In 12 innings, batters hit .400/.414/.782 with 6 home runs, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts.
Six home runs in 12 innings is not good (you think?). I don’t know what is going on with him. His fastball isn’t being hit (.235 batting average). However, the other pitches are being walloped: Split Finger (.294 BA), Curve (.417), and Slider (.429). Pete Walker has a job ahead to figure out what is going on.
Kevin Gausman: 2 starts, 0-1, 6.23 ERA. In 8.2 innings, batters hit ..138/.278/.207 with 0 home runs, 6 walks and 11 strikeouts.
One excellent start, one awful start. The good one, 6 shutout innings with 1 hit, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. The bad one? 2.2 innings, 3 hits, 6 earned, 5 walks and 2 strikeouts. It was just one bad inning. He was missing the strike zone by a couple of inches and couldn’t seem to adjust. He wasn’t happy with the calls from the plate umpire, but it wasn’t the umpire’s fault. There may have been the odd miss, but the umpire wasn’t the issue. Anyway, despite throwing 50+ pitches in the bad inning, his next start was great.
It really isn’t fair to call him cold with that batting line against.
Chris Bassitt: 3 starts, 0-2, 6.06 ERA. In 16.1 innings, batters hit .290/.324/.507 with 4 home runs, 2 walks and 12 strikeouts.
He didn’t make it through six innings in any of the starts. His first four starts of the season were very good, but the last few haven’t been. I’m hoping this little slump ends here.
Chad Green: 5 games, 6.75 ERA, with 1 hold. In 5.1 innings, batters hit .286/.348/.714 with 3 home runs, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.
Three home runs allowed in five innings? That’s hard to do. His contract ends this season, which might be a good thing. His fastball isn’t as hard as last year (94.7 mph this year, 95.5 last year). Last year, batters had a .198 BA against his fastball; this year, .294. His slider is being hit much the same as last year. It is all his fastball.
Yimi Garcia: 5 games, 0-1, hold, 1 blown save, 8.31 ERA. In 4.1 innings, he’s allowed 4 hits, 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.
He had the one bad outing. Until then, he had a 0.00 ERA. He had thrown a lot, and was likely tired, but then we didn’t have any other good choices in that game. I’m sure he’ll be back being very good again.
Yariel Rodriguez: 5 games, 7.20 ERA. In 5 innings, batters hit .333/.429/.778 with 2 home runs, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.
He gave up earned runs in three of his five appearances. He hasn’t been good.
In Between
Brendon Little: 6 games, 1-0, 1 blown save 3.60 ERA. In 5.2 innings, batters hit ..273/.407/.318 with 0 home runs, 5 walks, 6 strikeouts and 2 caught stealing.
Lefties are hitting him (.276/.382/.448) far better than right-handers (.133/.235/.167), which I’m chalking up to sample size.
Nick Sandlin: 6 games, 0-2, 2 holds, 1 save, 1 blown save. In 3.2 innings, batters hit .294/.400/.353 with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts.
Has also been hit pretty hard early this season.
Also Played
Paxton Schultz: 1 game, 2.1 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 1 home run.
He had a great outing and then the one above and down to the minors he goes. His first outing was so good, I didn’t think he’d be sent out so soon after that 4.1 shutout innings with 8 strikeouts.
Josh Walker: 2 games, 3 innings, 3.00 ERA, 4 hits, 1 earned, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts.
And he’s back in the minors.
Dillon Tate: 3 games, 3.2 innings, 2.45 ERA, 4 hits, 6 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Not the strikeout-to-walk rate you’d like to see.
Eric Lauer: 1 game, 4.0 innings, 4.50 ERA, 3 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.
It was a good showing.
Casey Lawrence: 1 game, 2.2 innings, 10.13 ERA, 6 hits, 3 earned, 0 walks, 1 strikeout.
In one outing, we saw pretty much what Lawrence does. He doesn’t walk anyone, doesn’t strike out anyone, pitches to contact, and hopes it will find a glove. He hasn’t signed with anyone after being DFAed.
IL
Max Scherzer: He’s been throwing a lot. I’m hoping he gets a rehab assignment soon.
Erik Swanson: He had a setback, but they are saying ‘no structural damage’, but he should be throwing again soon. If everything were to go well, he could be back with the Jays. He’s been put on the 60-day IL, so he can’t be back until May 24th at best.
Ryan Burr: He’s thrown bullpens a couple of times. He should face live hitters soon, and then a rehab assignment. I don’t think we’ll see him in Toronto until June.
Nick Sandlin: Out with a lat strain. I thought he would be out for the minimum, but there has been no word on when he’ll be back.
Alek Manoah: Had surgery on his UCL