:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46351522/usa-today-7920630.0.jpg)
After the news of Jeff Francis' DFA last night and Todd Redmond's subsequent return to the Blue Jays, things got even more exciting (read: strange) when the sun rose in Toronto this morning. Not only is the righty long-man back with the team, he's also the new starting pitcher when the team faces the Angels this afternoon. Tom posted the lineup a little earlier and now we know that Redmond will be taking the mound at the Rogers Centre. What was originally scheduled as an Aaron Sanchez start has been switched to give the starters some rest. Considering none of them are consistently going past the fifth inning, it's not like they were exhausted as it is.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gibbons says Redmond starting today is only to give the other 4 starters an extra day. Says, as of now, no changes expected <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a></p>— Barry Davis (@SNBarryDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNBarryDavis/status/600311052195201025">May 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bluejays?src=hash">#bluejays</a> have changed up rotation. Redmond will start today, Sanchez tomorrow. Followed by Hutchison and Dickey.</p>— Barry Davis (@SNBarryDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNBarryDavis/status/600286775945232385">May 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So....four starters? Marco Estrada certainly hasn't been bad during his brief stint of starting games, especially in comparison to the rest of his friends in the rotation. Unless a big name is removed from the pitching staff then it's hard to fathom how Estrada doesn't end up back in the bullpen, which just doesn't make a lot of sense at this point. Todd Redmond became a starter for a time in the middle of the 2013 season, compiling 14 starts and a 4.41 ERA, but he hasn't returned to the role since then. It's possible the Blue Jays are just playing it by ear and aren't actually sure how that last rotation spot is going to shake up yet, but Marco Estrada was definitely the least of their worries.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a> haven't said yet who will follow Dickey. Safe bet is Estrada goes back to pen. Will get confirmation soon</p>— Barry Davis (@SNBarryDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNBarryDavis/status/600287403518005249">May 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Daniel Norris has been impressive during his three starts in Triple-AAA Buffalo, but everyone and their uncle knew the lefty was talented, so unless he has fixed whatever problems he was having then promoting him would be futile. The Jays season is at a weird point right now, where the team doesn't look all that horrible but their inconsistent pitching is destroying them. With Alex Anthopoulos on the hot seat, it looks like he has little patience for poor results and will do whatever it takes to squeak out as many wins as he possibly can. It seems justified to slightly fear that a knee-jerk trade to acquire pitching and save his job could become more likely as the Jays try to tread water in the early part of this 2015 campaign.
Todd Redmond doesn't care about any of that though, as he's just turned 30 and gets another chance to show he deserves a spot at the back of a starting rotation. He may not be wrong either, as the aforementioned 4.41 ERA in his 2013 starting stint would place him behind only Aaron Sanchez in the so-called group of "4 starters" that Gibbons alluded to.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Redmond strays from usual practice of starter's unavailability to media & offers a with a grin: "We're going to [expletive] win." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bluejays?src=hash">#bluejays</a></p>— Jamie Ross (@JamieRossTO) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamieRossTO/status/600314374008483840">May 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Don't you just love baseball?