ARLINGTON, Texas – Seung-hwan Oh arrived at Globe Life Park on Friday with no hard feelings after an agreement during the off-season with the Texas Rangers came undone over an issue in his physical.
Those issues started a chain of events that led the right-handed set-up man to sign a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that pays him $1.75 million this season with a $2.5-million club option or $250,000 buyout for 2019, and he’s looking forward not backward now.
“Not at all,” Oh replied, speaking through interpreter Eugene Koo, when asked if how things played out with the Rangers made this visit any different. “The good thing is I’m pretty friendly with the environment here (the Rangers feature Korean outfielder Shin-Soo Choo). No awkwardness or anything, it’s just on the positive side. There’s no need to get any emotion in it. Just play ball.”
The deal agreed to with the Rangers was reported to be worth $2.75-million and when an issue came up in the physical, the club changed its offer. The Blue Jays happily swept in at that point, feeling confident in Oh’s ability to stay on the field.
Manager John Gibbons has used him frequently, with four appearances already under his belt heading into Friday’s series opener, one of the reasons Oh is happy with how things worked out.
“I’m feeling good right now and it’s only going to get better from here. Overall, I just want to get better at every aspect of going up on the mound,” he said. “The team has been great, the guys and the coaching staff are awesome. Where I’m living right now, it’s just an awesome place with a lot of cultures. It’s only been a short amount of time I’ve been in Toronto so far, but I look forward to staying here a long time.”
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SOLARTE IN THE SIX
Yangervis Solarte made his Blue Jays debut at shortstop Friday as manager John Gibbons wanted to keep the versatile slugger’s bat in the lineup and felt he could give up some range up the middle with fly ball pitcher Marco Estrada on the mound.
The versatile slugger is expected to see action at both second and third base over the weekend, spelling Josh Donaldson, who will get a game at DH, and Devon Travis, who is playing two games before resting.
“I want to put Solarte out there, trying to get him some at-bats,” said Gibbons. “With Marco out there, you don’t have to worry about the range stuff as much. You’d think, anyway. We want to get his bat in there so we’ll bounce him around.”
Shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who left Tuesday’s game with back spasms, is ready to go when needed.
“He’s good,” said Gibbons.
TAKE A BREATH
Steve Pearce batted leadoff in place of Devon Travis, who was moved down to ninth after a 1-for-20 start to the season. John Gibbons also pushed down Randal Grichuk, who was 2-for-23 entering play Friday, to eighth in the batting order.
“We’ll get Devon out of there, let him catch his breath, get him going. Same way with Grichuk. Let those guys breathe a little bit,” said Gibbons. “I don’t know if there’s anything to it. But Pearce is here to hit left-handers. Maybe he’ll get on in front of those other guys.”
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