In the crunch-time days leading to next Tuesday’s trade deadline, there’s little doubt that general manager Ross Atkins is on the looking for a power arm to bolster the bullpen.
It’s also worth recalling that the Blue Jays had a pair of them on the 40-man roster at the start of the 2022 season.
Rarely does everything go as planned health-wise during the twists and turns of 162 games. But the Jays certainly had high hopes for Nate Pearson and Julian Merryweather.
A pair of 100-mph arms have always had the potential to be high-octane weapons for a team that will be shopping for just that — and the fact neither could stay healthy enough to be key parts of the bullpen has heightened the need.
Pearson is back throwing in Florida working his way back from an injury list designation that began on May 4 with mononucleosis then while working his way back, a lat strain.
Merryweather has been on the IL since June 4 with an abdominal strain and no sign of potential return.
Both pitchers have shown promising power in their careers but have yet to translate into sustained success with the big club, hence the priority for Atkins and his deadline shopping efforts.
The Jays haven’t given up on either — but let’s face it, getting Pearson back for a stretch run, while still possible, would be a bonus.
The encouraging news is that the current bullpen arms are in a run of steady success. Add an arm or two to that group and it could soon be an area of strength for the Jays.
“We’re starting to see some of the good things we were seeing earlier in the season,” pitching coach Pete Walker said. “Trevor (Richards) is throwing the ball well, (David Phelps) is throwing well. And then it’s getting the ball to Yimi Garcia and Timmy Mazya and Jordan Romano and Adam Cimber.
“So we have the pieces but we just haven’t put the whole puzzle together. It’s like we’re always missing a little something. But the guys have battled and I think wee are in a good position to make a run.”
The pitchers, themselves, are feeling some momentum as well.
“It really does feel like this team is going to go as far as the pitching will take them,” said Sunday’s starter, Ross Stripling. “We’re all really confident in the arms that we have and our ability to get outs. The (starters) are confident in our ability to get outs and the bullpen is really confident.”
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What you’ve seen from George Springer in recent weeks is ideally what the Jays will get from their star centre fielder for the remainder of the season.
Each of the three games in Boston this past weekend provided a snapshot. In reverse order, on Sunday Springer led off the game with a single, then a hustling steal of second base that typified his all-in approach.
On Saturday, he made a running stab of a catch at the centre field wall of Fenway Park, showing his speed, range and fearless in tracking down fly balls.
And on Friday, Springer was given a day off to ease back into “baseball activity” following the all-star break. The rest was by design and will continue so the Jays can see the Saturday and Sunday version of Springer the rest of the way.
“It’s kind of the downside of playing baseball — you’re playing a sport every single day,” Springer said. “I get it. It doesn’t have the physicality of football or other sports and that’s the perception of it.
“But at the end of the day, you’re still playing a game and you’re expected to be at peak performance every single day. And when you’ve got a little something, it can spiral into one thing which can spiral into another. So you just have to manage it.”
If you’re looking for emerging difference makers on the Jays roster, might you start with Jose Berrios, who will get the start on Tuesday against the depleted St. Louis Cardinals?
Berrios, who has had an uneven season beginning with his opening day start, has shown some recent consistency in his form and after the all-star break to refresh is looking forward to the fresh restart.
“I think we saw it a little before the break — he’s finally in a groove,” pitching Walker said. “I think he really feels good about his stuff.
“I think you’re seeing consistent velocity now, the horizontal sink on the fastball has been really good. I can tell by watching him that when he’s spinning the ball well, that’s when usually everything falls into place.”
In the first of two against the Cards, Berrios will make his 20th start of the season. In his past three outings, the righty has gone a minimum of six innings in each and has held opponents to a combined six earned runs.
He’s clearly pitching with more confidence than earlier in the season.
“That’s the key,” Walker acknowledged. “He was fighting it a little early on and never seemed to be able to get into his normal rhythm. But I think he’s in a great place right now.”
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