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I have never laughed so hard writing a baseball article. Here’s the latest:
It’s been too long since the last time we’ve seen a video of Munenori Kawasaki doing, well, anything really. He recently appeared in a Japanese alcoholic drink commercial doing just that - being Munenori Kawasaki. It may not be as good as this video (or this video, or this video, or this video, or... well, you know what I mean), but it’s pretty darn good.
In yesterday’s spring training game, the Blue Jays won their first of the year, rolling over the Pirates by a final score of 12-0. The lineup, filled mostly with minor league players, struck early and often, with the most notable runs coming off of three home runs in the ninth inning. Pitching was extremely strong for Toronto, as they shutout the Pirates with eight pitchers. You can read our full breakdown of the game here.
Today, the Blue Jays face a split squad Detroit Tigers. Starting at 1:07 ET, Michael Fulmer, Rookie of the Year in 2016, gets the start for Detroit, while Ryan Borucki starts for the Blue Jays. The game will not be available on Sportsnet or SN590, but can be heard, via subscription, on MLB.com.
Josh Donaldson, with his progressing, injured calf, took batting practice outdoors for the first time since his injury during Toronto’s first full squad workout. As earlier reported, Donaldson is progressing ahead of schedule, and his former March 10th return date is likely now accelerated.
A welcome sight for @BlueJays fans: @BringerOfRain20 took part in batting practice in Dunedin on Tuesday morning. pic.twitter.com/f5nOUn3Eh5
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 28, 2017
Longtime Blue Jay Roy Halladay appears headed to the Philadelphia Phillies in a coaching position, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. The role he will fill is not currently known, but it appears “likely” that he’s headed to the City of Brotherly Love.
“The Phillies and Halladay have been talking recently about finding a role for him in the organization, a person with knowledge of Halladay's visit said Tuesday. It is unclear what responsibilities Halladay might have with the team, but it seems likely he will be roaming Spectrum Field and Carpenter Complex in a Phillies uniform before the end of Spring Training.”
Follow Mark Colley on Instagram and Twitter at @360BlueJayNews and @MarkColley.