General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2024)

[Laika]

Good news on KK

[G-Snarls]

Phew!!!

[John_Havok]

Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters today, including Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic, that catcher Brian Serven has made the team as the backup to Alejandro Kirk. Serven is not yet on the 40-man roster and will need to be added before the season begins next week.

[Spanky99]

Vlads 3 EV's today:

 

67.7, 74.5, 74.9.

 

All hits. LOL

 

Hah... funny game, baseball.

[deanmike]

Nathan Lukes has had a great spring training, checking every box the Toronto Blue Jays could have asked of him. He’s played good defence in the outfield, run the bases well and, most importantly, delivered a steady stream of hits at the plate, including a pair of knocks Saturday evening against Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes. Pre-season caveats and all, but the 29-year-old has very much showed himself to be a major-league player.

 

Yet with the Blue Jays on the verge of breaking camp, Lukes remains in roster-bubble limbo, part of a complex mix for the final bench spot that also includes minor-league free agents Daniel Vogelbach, who has performed as advertised, and Joey Votto, whose wonky right ankle further muddles matters.

 

Some roster clarity came earlier in the day when manager John Schneider revealed that Brian Serven will open the season as the backup catcher to Alejandro Kirk while Danny Jansen’s pisiform fracture heals. But for the players and pitchers still under consideration – including Yariel Rodriguez, who threw three shutout innings against a regular-season calibre Orioles lineup during a 3-2 loss – an agonizing wait continues.

 

“It's a little stressful,” Lukes said before he went 2-for-3, with an RBI and stolen base, to push his spring average up to .450. “But having been through it multiple times already, it’s a matter of just trying to forget about it and going out there and playing baseball. I mean, it can hurt you or it can help you. It can be a fuel of going out there and proving myself. So it’s trying to forget it and be me.”

 

Lukes has very much done that over the past 5½ weeks and if he were a third baseman or middle infielder instead of a centre-fielder, he might well be looking for a place to live in Toronto right now.

 

Instead, he’s caught up in the club’s internal deliberations of how best to deploy out of the gate, when a meat-grinder schedule pits them against the Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros and New York Yankees in a 10-game road trip.

 

“That's kind of the way the cards fall,” said Lukes. “They have a plan going forward. So it's putting trust in their plan and then being me and hoping they have trust in me to go out there and continue what I'm doing.”

 

Of course, that’s only one piece of the puzzle. Among the conversations taking place right now is how often the Blue Jays would use Lukes in the coming weeks versus, say, Vogelbach, who has ample experience pinch-hitting and has the raw power to change a game with one swing off the bench.

 

Given the bullpens the Rays, Astros, Yankees and Seattle Mariners, whom the Blue Jays host in their home opener April 8, can throw at opponents, having Vogelbach available off the bench to face a righty leverage arm late in a tight game makes some sense.

 

The challenge is adding Vogelbach to the roster requires both the clearing of a 40-man spot and guaranteeing his $2-million salary, something the Blue Jays might be reluctant to do with Votto on the horizon.

 

Votto’s exact timeline, however, is uncertain as he stepped on a bat in the dugout after homering in his first spring at-bat last weekend and has been limited in what he can do since. Already his late signing left him playing some catch-up so if the Blue Jays are determined to carry a left-handed impact option on the bench, there’d be a gap before Votto could fill the role.

 

Given that, the Blue Jays could carry Lukes, who’s already on the 40-man roster and has options remaining, until Votto is ready, rather than locking in Vogelbach.

 

Adding yet another wrinkle is that the Blue Jays could potentially ask Vogelbach to sign an advanced consent, which for 45 days would allow them to outright him off the 40-man roster without him being able to request a full payout for his release. He’d have to weigh that against other options.

 

There are strong cases for and against each of the above scenarios, and surely others, too, which is why the decision-making progress is taking so long.

 

“I'm going to let them make those decisions,” Vogelbach said. “I feel that I can help this team win. I want to help this team win and in this game, I know I sound like a broken record, but there are things you can't control. Something I could control was to come in here and give it my best effort, have good at-bats, be a good teammate. I feel that I've checked those boxes and now it's up to them to do what they want to do, up to them to see if they think I can help them win.”

 

The Blue Jays brought in Vogelbach just as camp opened last month because they felt the same way and showed what the 31-year-old felt was legitimate interest in him. There seemed to be a clear path for him to make the team, too, until Votto signed his deal, which also pays $2 million if he’s in the majors with the potential for up to $2 million more in incentives.

 

For everyone involved, it’s baseball’s cruel realities in a nutshell.

 

“I mean, that's just how the game works,” said Vogelbach, 0-for-3 Saturday versus Burnes but tied for second on the team with three spring homers. “If you perform, there's going to be a place for you. Nobody ever is performing really well and they're just like, ‘Oh, let's try something else.’ If you're helping somebody win and you're doing your part, there's always going to be a place for you. You don't worry about how they may figure that out or how they may put it together. Put your head down and be a good teammate and try to help the team win. And if you do that, everything will work out.”

 

The same applies on the pitching side, where Rodriguez’s performance against the Orioles may have shown enough to catapult him into the mix.

 

While an encouraging side session Saturday morning suggested Kevin Gausman might be ready to make an April 1 start at Houston in the Blue Jays’ fifth game of the season, potentially easing the need for another starter, there likely isn’t enough runway for relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson to be ready in time for Opening Day.

 

Given that, the Blue Jays could opt to carry two multi-inning arms to support Mitch White in a long-relief role, and Rodriguez’s late push is changing some of the conversation. He allowed a hit and two walks with one strikeout and induced double plays from Austin Hays and Jorge Mateo, one with a cutter, one with a two-seamer.

 

“Definitely the best lineup I've faced in a long time,” Rodriguez, who didn’t pitch professionally last year while completing his transition to North America, said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “I felt good, I feel comfortable. Sometimes I couldn't locate the pitches where I wanted to but overall I think I did a good job.”

 

Among the considerations around Rodriguez are his long layoff, the back spasms that truncated his spring and a rough plan to have him throw about 100 innings this season and how best to allocate them. The Blue Jays will surely want him to go wire-to-wire and be available late in the season, but the present need may trump other concerns.

 

Like Lukes and Vogelbach, Rodriguez isn’t sure what’s next, but he told the Blue Jays that he’s fine whichever route they choose for him.

 

“I'm in a good spot right now – this is part of my dream coming true, just to be here,” he added. “I’m playing for a team with the best baseball in the world. Mentally, I feel good. I’m not impatient. I’m just going to keep working very hard for the team and at some point, hopefully, I’ll be here in the big-leagues to help the team win some games.”

 

Only a few days remain before the Blue Jays must decide which players will get the chance to do precisely that.

[Spanky99]

Whomever left that bat on the ground should be smacked upside the head.

[deanmike]

While an encouraging side session Saturday morning suggested Kevin Gausman might be ready to make an April 1 start at Houston in the Blue Jays’ fifth game of the season, potentially easing the need for another starter, there likely isn’t enough runway for relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson to be ready in time for Opening Day.

 

Given that, the Blue Jays could opt to carry two multi-inning arms to support Mitch White in a long-relief role, and Rodriguez’s late push is changing some of the conversation.

 

I guess Yariel changing the conversation means he could be the 2nd long man out of the pen instead of Wes Parsons?

[hanton]

Whomever left that bat on the ground should be smacked upside the head.

 

Votto? was it confirmed?

[deanmike]

The challenge is adding Vogelbach to the roster requires both the clearing of a 40-man spot and guaranteeing his $2-million salary, something the Blue Jays might be reluctant to do with Votto on the horizon.

 

Votto’s exact timeline, however, is uncertain as he stepped on a bat in the dugout after homering in his first spring at-bat last weekend and has been limited in what he can do since. Already his late signing left him playing some catch-up so if the Blue Jays are determined to carry a left-handed impact option on the bench, there’d be a gap before Votto could fill the role.

 

Given that, the Blue Jays could carry Lukes, who’s already on the 40-man roster and has options remaining, until Votto is ready, rather than locking in Vogelbach.

 

Adding yet another wrinkle is that the Blue Jays could potentially ask Vogelbach to sign an advanced consent, which for 45 days would allow them to outright him off the 40-man roster without him being able to request a full payout for his release. He’d have to weigh that against other options.

 

This makes it seem like the Jays don't want to guarantee both Vogelbach and Votto, so they're asking Vogelbach to sign an advanced consent, meaning Lukes would make the team for now while they buy themselves a bit more time on the Vogelbach vs Votto decision.

[Spanky99]

Votto? was it confirmed?

 

Yeah, Votto rolled his ankle stepping on a bat in the dugout, IDK who's bat it was, hence my post.

[Spanky99]

This makes it seem like the Jays don't want to guarantee both Vogelbach and Votto, so they're asking Vogelbach to sign an advanced consent, meaning Lukes would make the team for now while they buy themselves a bit more time on the Vogelbach vs Votto decision.

 

The next date for Vogelbach to opt out of the contract is May 1st... if they indeed give Votto the roster spot as expected they'll give his release when they see fit. Oh right, he can refuse the assignment, guess we'll see shortly.

 

Vogelbach's having a decent spring, I doubt he goes to Buffalo, Lukes for the last spot is inevitable.

[Spanky99]

Bad Kikuchi this year?

 

Nah, the walks haven't popped up, he's fine jimmyc.

[Spanky99]

Ya, that's gonna be an issue. I think he could have been out if the fielder didn't drop the ball. I want someone to ask him why he's so against head first slides.

 

It's not going to be an issue, man. It's safer anyhow.

[Spanky99]

Jim how the f*** are you even thinking you were right?

 

Manoah died, Gausman is hurt, Y Rod is delayed, Tiedemann had a healthy spring... if RT doesn't break camp with Toronto then he basically had zero chance and you're dunking on yourself

 

Indeed, lol.

[Spanky99]

It's only ST but he was giving up a lot of hard contact even last season when he was good, so given his pre-2023 track record, it's hard to get too confident about what to expect from him. But too early to get worried at this point.

 

Hopefully KK is okay, but the lack of OF depth is going to be very apparent if he has to miss time. I guess Schneider would be the starting LF in that scenario, with Lukes as the backup.

 

Varsho, Lukes and Springer are CF's, the depth is fine?

 

Kooch is bad when he's walking guys, that's not apparent.

[Spanky99]

Buck Martinez said Iassogna is one of the best umpires in the MLB??? lol

 

https://umpscorecards.com/single_umpire/?name=Dan+Iassogna

 

[John_Havok]

Buck Martinez said Iassogna is one of the best umpires in the MLB??? lol

 

https://umpscorecards.com/single_umpire/?name=Dan+Iassogna

 

 

Yup. One of the best..lol.

[Spanky99]

Yup. One of the best..lol.

 

Hahaha... I can't stand that f***er, he's on a Angel Hernandez or Cowboy Joe level thinking he's bigger than the game.

[Spanky99]

Watched B&B, Barker says he's getting the feeling from the staff and players that both Gausman and Romano will avoid the IL and be back for the Stros series, Swanson is a ways back and will open up on the IL. Also, they're looking at this 10 game road trip as an integral part to the season. Obviously...

[gruber92]

Like I said three weeks ago, if Lukes doesn't crack the line up, boycott games (lol). Seriously though, you take the athletic player over fat man Vogelbach. Furthermore, Lukes is 29 years old and has been grinding for a while now in the minors while performing well the past few years. It's time to give the man a shot in the show, even if it's in a bench role until Votto is ready.

[Spanky99]

[Laika]

Like I said three weeks ago, if Lukes doesn't crack the line up, boycott games (lol). Seriously though, you take the athletic player over fat man Vogelbach. Furthermore, Lukes is 29 years old and has been grinding for a while now in the minors while performing well the past few years. It's time to give the man a shot in the show, even if it's in a bench role until Votto is ready.

 

I don't think this makes sense

 

I like Lukes just fine and he's had a good spring but if KK is healthy, it's not like Lukes is going to be much use. Occasional pinch running duty. Pure injury backup for the OF. Maybe gets one start in the first two weeks, if one of the old guys needs a break.

 

I could see Vogelbach having more utility. Is the above Lukes possible usage worth more than having DV to pinch hit in almost every game, and maybe start a few times at DH against RHP? With Turner in the field.

 

Lukes might get some extended opportunity later on if there is an OF injury.

[BTS]

how did Yariel Rodriguez look yesterday?

[deanmike]

Watched B&B, Barker says he's getting the feeling from the staff and players that both Gausman and Romano will avoid the IL and be back for the Stros series, Swanson is a ways back and will open up on the IL. Also, they're looking at this 10 game road trip as an integral part to the season. Obviously...

 

I doubt Pearson makes the opening day roster then, despite it being expected previously.

 

SP: Berrios, Bassitt, Kikuchi, Francis, Gausman (INJ but no IL)

RP: Green, Garcia, Richards, Mayza, Cabrera, White, YRod/Parsons, Romano (INJ but no IL)

 

Unless the Jays don't end up carrying multiple long relief guys out of the pen (even though Schneider said they would), I don't see how Pearson starts the season on the roster anymore.

[Laika]

I wouldn't be shocked to see a Tim Mayza sudden IL placement

 

Ppl saying his velo is way down

[Spanky99]

how did Yariel Rodriguez look yesterday?

 

Wasn't aired, reports are he looked good though, faced 10 batters through 3 innings pitched, inducing 2 DP's, 2BB's, 1 K, 1H no runs sounds good.

 

[Spanky99]

I wouldn't be shocked to see a Tim Mayza sudden IL placement

 

Ppl saying his velo is way down

 

3 MPH I read on here, da fuq is that? Dead arm possibly?

[Spanky99]

I doubt Pearson makes the opening day roster then, despite it being expected previously.

 

SP: Berrios, Bassitt, Kikuchi, Francis, Gausman (INJ but no IL)

RP: Green, Garcia, Richards, Mayza, Cabrera, White, YRod/Parsons, Romano (INJ but no IL)

 

Unless the Jays don't end up carrying multiple long relief guys out of the pen (even though Schneider said they would), I don't see how Pearson starts the season on the roster anymore.

 

Likely Parsons I would guess.

[The_DH]

during the game they were talking about the pitching depth chart. Buck was saying how Little is basically 3rd lefty behind Mayza and Cabrera. It seemed they were mulling over Mayza potentially being injured and what would be the impact. Right now I think the 26 man roster decisions all come down to health of pitchers and the impact on the 40 man.

[Spanky99]

I don't think this makes sense

 

I like Lukes just fine and he's had a good spring but if KK is healthy, it's not like Lukes is going to be much use. Occasional pinch running duty. Pure injury backup for the OF. Maybe gets one start in the first two weeks, if one of the old guys needs a break.

 

I could see Vogelbach having more utility. Is the above Lukes possible usage worth more than having DV to pinch hit in almost every game, and maybe start a few times at DH against RHP? With Turner in the field.

 

Lukes might get some extended opportunity later on if there is an OF injury.

 

Yer dumn.