Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Blue Jays Pitchers

Over the last two weeks, the Jays are 10-3 (can you believe it?). The pitchers have a 3.45 ERA. Much better than the 4.05 ERA from the last session.

Hot

Robbie Ray: 2 starts, 2-0, 1.32 ERA. In 13.2 innings batters hit .111/.167/.095 with 1 home run, 4 walks, and 20 strikeouts.

Two amazing starts. He allowed just 5 hits in total. He hasn’t thrown less than 6 innings in a start since mid-July. Bob has to be top 3 in Cy Young voting. Considering we have two players who should be top five in MVP voting, award time will be interesting. Ray is going to be a very rich man after this season. I guess the only question is “Is this sustainable without Pete Walker?” I’d imagine it is, but how much does he want to bet on it.

Steven Matz: 3 starts, 1-0, 2.12 ERA. In 17 innings batters hit .242/.286/.273 with 0 home runs, 4 walks, and 13 strikeouts.

Matz went 6, 5, and 6 innings in those 3 starts, giving up 1, 2, and 1 run. If you would have told me he was going to have a 3.70 ERA by September I wouldn’t have believed you. I wasn’t the only one, before the season I put the over/under on ERA at 4 and 53% picked the over. I would love the Jays to re-sign him. And I’d like to think he would like to come back.

Tim Mayza: 6 games, 1.42 ERA, 1-1, 1 hold, 1 save. In 6.1 innings batters hit .174/.208/.304 with 1 home run, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts.

He has been terrific, pitched in 5 wins, took the loss, giving up 1 run, in the other. He had one bad stretch back in May, but other than that he’s been terrific. I’d love to have just one short bad stretch in a year.

Jose Berrios: 2 starts, 2-0, 1.98 ERA. In 13.2 innings, batters hit .196/.212/.333 with 1 home run, 0 walks, and 18 strikeouts.

He had 3 bad starts in a row, but the last two were great. Hopefully, this is the way the rest of the season goes. I enjoy watching him pitch.

Trevor Richards: 7 games, 1-0, 1.23 ERA, 1 hold, 1 blown save. In 7.1 innings, batters hit .120/.154/.240 with 1 home run, 1 walk and 8 strikeouts.

Both he and Cimber had rough times in the two weeks before this and both were much better over these two weeks. Richards has been equally good vs. lefties (.512 OPS) and righties (.618 OPS), well actually better vs lefties. I thought it was a sample size thing, but I see he’s been better vs. lefties over his career.

Adam Cimber: 6 games, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 holds. In 5.2 innings batters hit .304/.333/.304 with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.

7 hits in 23 at bats doesn’t sound good, but they were 7 singles, nothing hit hard, but, generally ground balls that went through the infield. That’s going to happen to ground ball pitchers sometimes, but don’t walk anyone and don’t give up the long ball, that still works.

Cold

Hyun Jin Ryu: 2 starts, 1-2, 5.87 ERA. In 15.1 innings batters hit .224/.274/.431 with 3 home runs, 4 walks, and 16 strikeouts.

He had one bad start, one meh start, and one bad start. The batting line isn’t bad, but sequencing wasn’t good. I’m hoping all is better, his last start was very good.

Alek Manoah: 3 starts, 0-0, 5.82 ERA. In 17 innings batters hit .222/.319/.349 with 2 homers, 6 walks, and 14 strikeouts

Cold is likely an overstatement, that batting line against is very good, but again sequencing. I’m not worried about him. I think bad luck has cost him. He is great to watch and seems a fun guy on the bench.

Joakim Soria: 6 games, 9.54 ERA, blown save, hold. In 4.2 innings batters hit .333/.455/.556 with 1 homer, 4 walks and 5 strikouts.

In the six games, one went very bad, one he gave up a run and the other four he didn’t allow a run. He had a hold the other day and looked good.

In Between

Jordan Romano: 7 games, 3.52 ERA, 3 saves, 2 wins. In 7.2 innings, batters hit .148/.148/.370 with 2 home runs, 0 walks, and 10 strikeouts.

He has been terrific all season. He gave up a home run in consecutive games. But other than that he was great. And he had just his second 2 inning outing of the season.

Also Played

Trent Thornton: 2 games, 0-0, 5.40 ERA. In 1.2 innings batters hit .286/.375/.387 with 1 walk and 1 strikeout.

In Buffalo now.

Tayler Saucedo: 3 games, 0-0, 2.70 ERA. In 3.1 innings, batters hit .182/.182/.273 with 0 walks and 0 strikeouts.

I’m never sure if he is on the roster or not at any given moment (he is at the moment).

Nate Pearson: 2 games, 4.50 ERA. In 2 innings batters hit .333/.333/.444, 0 walks and 3 strikeouts.

One tough outing, one very good outing (3 strikeouts on 14 pitches).

Bryan Baker: 1 game faced 4 batters allowed 1 hit, had 1 strikeout.

He’s back in Buffalo. I don’t know that it was worth adding him to the roster for one inning of work.

IL

Anthony Casto: Off the IL, pitching for Buffalo. Threw an inning yesterday, getting 3 strikeouts on 10 pitches.

David Phelps, out for the season.

A.J. Cole: He was outrighted Monday, cleared waivers and assigned to Buffalo.

Carl Edwards, Jr.: Signed with the White Sox to a minor league contract.

Julian Merryweather: Back with the Jays.

Kirby Yates: Out for the year.

Ross Stripling: Went onto the IL on the 11th of August. He could be back with the team on the weekend, all going well, possibly pitching in the double-header on Saturday.

Ryan Borucki: Is with the Bisons, last pitched Saturday.

Anthony Kay: On the Covid IL in Buffalo.