BRADENTON, Fla. – Aaron Loup’s spring debut remains on hold after he tested a tight left forearm Thursday and felt less than 100 percent.
"He threw today and didn’t feel real good, so they’re going to check it out," manager John Gibbons said.
It’s unclear what the next steps are for Loup, or whether he’ll undergo an MRI. As of Thursday morning, Loup wasn’t slated to pitch in any of the team’s next three games.
Loup, 28, posted a 4.46 ERA in 2015 with 46 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. He established himself as a reliable bullpen lefty from 2012-14, when he posted a 2.77 ERA in 168 games.
While the outlook for Loup remains cloudy, it’d be premature to assume bad news awaits. Fellow left-hander Brett Cecil missed time with shoulder soreness last spring before making 63 regular season appearances.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays continue to be impressed by ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte. He pitched a scoreless inning Thursday, even retiring two right-handed hitters while throwing from the left side.
"He looked good. He’s showing us something," Gibbons said. “It’s a great, a fun story. The key is to get guys out and he looks like he can do it."
Venditte debuted with the Oakland Athletics in 2015, posting a 4.40 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work. He was particularly effective against left-handed hitters, who managed just a .447 OPS against him.
