ATLANTA – LaTroy Hawkins has been battling forearm soreness in recent days, but he says he’s ready to help the Toronto Blue Jays down the stretch after resting for four games.
The 42-year-old right-hander has battled tightness and tenderness on an ongoing basis this year, his 21st and final MLB season. The soreness sidelined him for the month of May as a member of the Colorado Rockies and resurfaced in Toronto. Hawkins says he could have pitched through it, but chose to play it safe given the Blue Jays’ other options.
“A lot of bullets have been sent through that chamber, but the beauty of it is we’ve got a lot of guys in the bullpen and I can afford to take some days off,” Hawkins said. “If we didn’t, I would have been out there.”
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The Blue Jays gave Hawkins four days of rest after Friday’s outing, and are now hopeful he can return at any time. He made 10 appearances in August, posting a 0.96 ERA, but has only been used twice in September. He has allowed runs in each September appearance, most recently on Sept. 11 in New York.
The Blue Jays don’t seem overly concerned.
“We don’t think it’s a big deal, but you don’t want to throw him when it’s bothering him,” manager John Gibbons said.
At least Hawkins has a couple of veteran teammates with whom to compare notes. Mark Buehrle has been particularly useful when it comes to discussing the aches and pains of an MLB season.
“We talk about how we feel. None of those other guys know how we feel,” Hawkins said. “It’s refreshing for me to talk to a guy who knows exactly what I’m going through.”
The Blue Jays have an assortment of right-handed relievers including Roberto Osuna, Aaron Sanchez, Mark Lowe and Liam Hendriks. That depth allowed Toronto to get by without Hawkins in the short term, but a strong finish would be ideal considering he’s a strong candidate for inclusion on a potential playoff roster.