TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays are going with a pitching-heavy roster for Tuesday’s American League wild card game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Marcus Stroman will start the game against Chris Tillman with Francisco Liriano and Marco Estrada available in relief for the Blue Jays. Fellow starters R.A. Dickey, J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez are not on the roster, which would be reset should the Blue Jays advance to the ALDS.
Ryan Tepera, Aaron Loup and Scott Feldman weren’t considered locks for the roster, but the Blue Jays are carrying all three, a move that provides manager John Gibbons with insurance should the unexpected occur. As a result, there wasn’t room for catcher Josh Thole, which might reduce the chances of a Dioner Navarro pinch-hit appearance.
The Blue Jays also took bench specialists including the speedy Dalton Pompey and the versatile Ryan Goins. Here’s the complete roster:
Pitchers (10): Marcus Stroman, Francisco Liriano, Marco Estrada, Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli, Brett Cecil, Joe Biagini, Aaron Loup, Ryan Tepera, Scott Feldman
Catchers (2): Russell Martin, Dioner Navarro
Infielders (7): Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Smoak, Devon Travis, Ryan Goins, Darwin Barney, Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson
Outfielders (6): Jose Bautista, Kevin Pillar, Michael Saunders, Melvin Upton Jr., Ezequiel Carrera, Dalton Pompey
The Blue Jays are in step with recent history, as wild card teams have loaded up on pitching since MLB added a second wild card team in 2012.
| Team | Year | Total Pitchers | Starting Pitchers | Catchers | Infielders | Outfielders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 2012 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Braves | 2012 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Orioles | 2012 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Rangers | 2012 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Pirates | 2013 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Reds | 2013 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Indians | 2013 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Rays | 2013 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Giants | 2014 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Pirates | 2014 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Athletics | 2014 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Royals | 2014 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Cubs | 2015 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Pirates | 2015 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Yankees | 2015 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Astros | 2015 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Average | 9.6 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 7.1 | 5.6 |
