Bowden Francis will open the 2024 season in the Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation, manager John Schneider told reporters Thursday.
The Blue Jays are targeting the fourth game of the year for the 27-year-old right-hander's first start. Toronto opens the season with a four-game series in Tampa Bay against the Rays, so Francis would likely get the ball on March 31.
With Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah battling injuries to open camp, room opened up in Toronto's rotation.
The team's tentative plan to open the season is to have Jose Berrios pitch Opening Day, followed by Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi.
Francis made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2022, and earned a role in team's bullpen down the stretch in 2023. He posted a 1.73 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 36.1 MLB innings last season.
Originally a seventh-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, Francis came up through the minors as a starter, and entered this spring with the goal of stretching back out and earning a spot in the rotation.
So far, Francis leads all Blue Jays pitchers with 18.2 spring training innings. Over his five appearances, he owns a 3.38 ERA with 15 strikeouts and four walks.
On Wednesday, he started against the Atlanta Braves, working 4.2 innings, allowing allowing four hits, four runs and striking out three.
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