DUNEDIN, Fla. – On the surface, the first cuts from Toronto Blue Jays spring training were not all that surprising.
None of the 11 players sent to minor-league camp appeared to have a real chance of breaking camp with the team. In some cases, they could be years away from the majors. But the cuts may hint at how the Blue Jays will handle some decisions coming up later in the month, when as many as three 40-man roster spots will have to be cleared.
On Tuesday morning, the Blue Jays officially optioned right-handed pitchers Thomas Hatch, Elvis Luciano, Julian Merryweather, Patrick Murphy, Hector Perez and T.J. Zeuch to the minors while reassigning catcher Alejandro Kirk and infielders Patrick Kivlehan, Nash Knight and Logan Warmoth.
Before the announcement, general manager Ross Atkins, manager Charlie Montoyo, pitching coach Pete Walker and director of player development Gil Kim met with the players individually. The message conveyed was straightforward: keep working in the minors and make your way back here soon.
“Man, you guys have got good stuff and you guys are going to be here in the next couple of years for sure,” Montoyo would say. “You’re a big part of our future.”
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In most cases, at least. But each non-roster invitee who makes the Blue Jays’ opening day roster will require a spot on the 40-man roster, which is presently full. That means some tough decisions are ahead with Joe Panik almost certain to make the team and relievers such as A.J. Cole and Justin Miller prominently in the mix for bullpen spots as well (in theory, placing a player on the 60-day injured list would open a spot, but the Blue Jays have no obvious 60-day IL candidates).
“So far, I love Joe Panik as a person and as a player,” Montoyo said Wednesday. “He can do the little things. … I like everything about him.”
In other words, it would be a surprise if Panik doesn’t break with the team. At least one spot will be needed, and perhaps sooner than later given that Panik’s contract is believed to include a spring opt-out.
With that in mind, the decision to include Zeuch and Perez within the first round of cuts could be read as an indication that they’re lower on the depth chart than they once were. That’s partly speculative at this point, but Zeuch allowed 10 runs (seven earned) in 4.1 spring innings. A first-round pick in 2016, he pitched a no-hitter at triple-A Buffalo last year and posted a 4.76 ERA in 22.2 big-league innings. At the same time, he doesn’t have a clear swing and miss offering and the Blue Jays’ triple-A rotation is overflowing already.
Perez, who was acquired along with Ken Giles in the Roberto Osuna trade, posted a 4.60 ERA as a starter at double-A last year. While he has posted impressive minor-league strikeout numbers at times, others are now positioned higher on the Blue Jays’ depth chart.
Regardless, it’s also a chance for the likes of Zeuch and Perez to get more playing time. That was certainly the case for Merryweather, who was clocked up to 99 m.p.h. in Grapefruit League games. Tempting though it might be to see what the hard-throwing 28-year-old can do in a bullpen role, the Blue Jays are still intrigued by what he can do as a starter.
“We believe he can start, and we want to get him stretched out,” GM Ross Atkins said. “We only have so many innings to do that for so many people.”
TEOSCAR BACK IN ACTION
After a week on the sidelines with a sore groin, Teoscar Hernandez returned to the outfield in Tampa on Tuesday. The rest was precautionary, according to Montoyo, who expects Hernandez to have ample time to prepare for opening day.
“He never pulled anything, but whenever somebody tells you that in spring training, just be cautious,” Montoyo said. “Be cautious every time. Now that he’s 100 per cent, he’s back to playing.”
DOLIS NOT EXPECTED FOR OPENING DAY
A little more than a week after having his appendix removed, reliever Rafael Dolis is moving better. At the same time, Montoyo’s not expecting the right-hander to be ready for the opening day roster.
“I wouldn’t think,” the manager said. “But it’s a day to day situation. He could be feeling great in a couple days, but as of now I wouldn’t think he would be.”
QUOTABLE
“Sports is a beautiful thing. Oftentimes, us as executives can fall into the category of being too objective, and the reason that we do it is not to follow models and to think that there’s only certain teams that really have a realistic scenario. We do anything we can to constantly push that envelope as close to winning as possible. So, yes, injuries are definitely a very real factor. We feel very good about where the organization is. We have an incredible amount of depth in our system and a lot of depth on our 40-man roster. We’ve transitioned a great core. We’ve complemented it with free-agent pitching that will allow us to be patient with our prospects,” said Atkins of the Blue Jays’ chances in the AL East.
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