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

Over the past two weeks, the Jays have a 6-7 record. The pitchers have a 5.02 ERA which isn’t what we’d like to see.

Hot

José Berríos: 3 starts, 2-1, 3.57 ERA. In 17.2 innings, batters hit .227/.288/.349 with 2 home runs, 4 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Two starts were very good (13.2 innings, 2 earned), and one was very bad (4 innings, 5 earned). He’s having a nice season. After last year it is good to see. Last year he gave up an OPS of .805. This year .687. I don’t know what’s causing the difference. His walk rate is up from last year, strikeout rate is up a little. Soft contact is much the same. Hard contact is down just a little. It doesn’t seem like there is enough difference for the amount he’s improved. But I’m not going to argue.

Yusei Kikuchi: 3 starts, 0-0, 2.30 ERA. In 15.2 innings, batters hit .207/.246/.328 with 2 home runs, 3 walks and 17 strikeouts.

He has been very good. John has done a good job of getting him out of the game before anything bad happens. Just 3 walks in 15 innings is amazing for him. If you told me he would have an ERA under four at mid-season, I would have laughed at you. He reminds me of Robbie Ray in that it took two years of working with Pete Walker to bring him to the pitch he can be.

Jordan Romano: 6 games, 6 saves, 1.42 ERA. In 6.1 innings, batters hit ..208/.269/.250 with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts.

He had five scoreless outings; in the other, he gave up just one run. 31% strikeout rate in those appearances. He’s leading the league in saves at 22 and has 3 blown saves, so he has a very good success rate. His strikeout rate is up from last year, and his walk rate is down. His hard contact rate is the same as last year’s.

Erik Swanson: 6 games, 4 holds, 0-1, 1 hold, 3.86 ERA. In 5.1, batters hit ..211/.211/.421 with 1 home run, 0 walks and 5 strikeouts.

A very good couple of weeks for the game. He had a rough little run in mid-May. Other than that, he’s been great.

Trevor Richards: 2 starts, 1 relief appearance, 1 hold, 3.86 ERA. In 7 innings, batters hit .160/.222/.440 with 2 home runs, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts.

One of the starts wasn’t good, but he’s been great. He has a 36.6% strikeout rate this year. I’d be ok with him staying in the rotation, but he is very useful in long relief.

Tim Mayza: 7 games, 3 holds, 0.00 ERA. In 4.1 innings, batters hit .231/.286/.231 with 0 home runs, 1 walks and 2 strikeouts.

We seem to be using him as a LOOGY or at least as close to a LOOGY as one can be with the new rules. He’s doing well against RHB too. We could use a second lefty in the pen.

Bowden Francis: 3 games, 1 hold, 3.68 ERA. In 7.1 innings, batters hit .241/.313/.448 with 2 home runs, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts.

And now he’s back in Buffalo. I’d rather have him in the Jays' pen than Climber, especially since he can do 2-3 innings at a go.

Cold

Kevin Gausman: 3 starts, 2-0, 5.40 ERA. In 16.2 innings, batters hit .292/.378/.508 with 2 home runs, 7 walks and 14 strikeouts.

Three starts, one of good, one was ok, one was terrible. The team scored 15 runs for him in those three games, so maybe I should stop complaining about his run support. In one game, they only scored 2 runs, he held the Rangers to 1 run. The only games we scored for him and he gave up a bunch of runs, and we won. Maybe pitching the score? I think it is more likely he’s going through mid-season doldrums. He’s made 16 starts and has thrown 98.2 innings, so he is on pace to be around 200 innings. The last Jay to throw 200 innings. Marcus Stroman in 2017 (being fair, we have had a few shortened seasons between then and now.

Chris Bassitt: 2 starts, 0-1, 14.85 ERA. In 6.2 innings, batters hit .462/.512/.846, with 3 home runs, 4 walks and 7 strikeouts.

Two really awful starts. The two starts before were very, very good. I don’t know why things changed. Before these last two starts, he had a 3.29 ERA, and now he has a 4.16 ERA. If I were paranoid, I would guess there was an injury they aren’t telling us about.

Yimi Garcia: 6 games, 1-1, 1 hold, 3.18 ERA. In 5.2 innings, batters hit .407/.407/.519 with 1 home run, 0 walks and 8 strikeouts.

I don’t know....he’s throwing strikes, and they are being crushed. Maybe he should walk a few guys.

Nate Pearson: 5 games, 1-1, 12.00 ERA. In 6 innings, batters hit ..385/.414/.577 with 1 home run, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.

He was going great, but his last two outings were blowouts. 1 inning with 8 earned. I don’t know what’s going wrong, but he’s got a couple of days off, so hopefully, he’ll be back to normal the next time out.

Adam Cimber: 4 games, 0-2, 1 blown save, 27.00 ERA. In 3 innings, batters hit .563/.556/1.000 with 2 home runs, 0 walks and 2 strikeouts.

One of his outings went well. The others were well, not good. His ERA was 1.42 back on April 13th. It is 7.40 now. I don’t know how long they can keep him on the team at this rate.

Mitch White: 4 games, 4.50. In 6 innings, batters hit .286/.345/.519 with 1 home run, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.

We’ll see how things go.

Also Pitched

Thomas Hatch: Pitched in 2 games. 0 ERA. In 2.1 innings, batters hit ..200/.333/.200, with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts.

Back in Buffalo

Trent Thornton:: 1 game, 0 ERA. In 2.0 innings, batters hit .286/.286/.286 with 2 strikeouts.

Up with the team. Likely not for long. Pop will be back soon.

Ernie Clement: 1 game, 9.00 ERA. In 1 inning, batters hit .500/.570/.500.

Threw a Knuckleball.

IL

Hyun Jin Ryu: He’s been throwing, might be back sometime in July.

Chad Green: Coming back from Tommy John. He’s throwing. Back sometime in July?

Zack Pop: Hamstring issue. He could be back soon.

Not on IL, Not on the Roster

Alek Manoah has thrown two simulated games, and reports have been good, but who knows? He’s going to pitch a minor league game this coming week. I don’t want them to be in too much of a rush to bring him back.