Blue Jays bullpen finally finding its footing
By: Ian Hunter
Canadian Baseball Network
It may have taken them nearly three-quarters of a season, but at long last, the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen looks to be stable.
That’s saying a lot for a relief corps which has seen several iterations since Opening Day. The bullpen has undergone a complete overhaul in recent months, and ever since, Toronto’s bullpen is no longer a glaring weakness on the roster.
With mere weeks left in the schedule, the Blue Jays’ core of relief pitchers appear to be finally settling into their roles as they prepare for this stretch run towards to the playoffs. They could not have picked a better time to be firing on all cylinders as the club prepares to play its most important baseball of the 2016 season.
Heading into Spring Training, the bullpen was viewed as a strength of this team. With the offseason acquisitions of Drew Storen and Jesse Chavez to accompany Roberto Osuna, Brett Cecil and others, the Blue Jays’ bullpen looked lights-out.
Over the next few months, relief pitching became a primary concern for the club, as the Blue Jays’ prized offseason acquisitions floundered in the bullpen, while John Gibbons attempted to bring some normalcy to a bullpen in disarray.
It took the Blue Jays a long time, but it looks like they’ve finally figured it out. It started with the acquisition of Jason Grilli; who has been a godsend for the Blue Jays this year. The man has re-discovered the fountain of youth and has not only brought a veteran presence to the bullpen, but Grilli still has some gas left in the tank.
Next, was addition by subtraction. By designating Drew Storen for assignment and trading Jesse Chavez, this allowed the Blue Jays to cut bait on two relievers they kept hoping would turn things around, but simply couldn’t.
Brett Cecil had a rocky first-half of the 2016 season, and in many ways, his individual struggles reflected those of the entire Blue Jays bullpen. But upon his return from the disabled list, Cecil is looking more and more like his nearly-unhittable self from 2015.
Joe Biagini is an odd character to say the least, but the “Rule Five guy” has been sensational for the Blue Jays in his rookie season. He’s moved his way up the depth chart from middle relief to moderate-to-high leverage game situations.
Biagini has been a master at keeping the ball in the park this season as he has yet to surrender a home run this season in 42 appearances. Joe Biagini is the only qualified reliever in baseball this season not to give up a home run.
The Blue Jays had hoped they were getting a reliable swing man in Jesse Chavez this offseason, but that role has now been filled by Scott Feldman. He’s a versatile pitcher who’s already demonstrated he can go multiple innings, and Feldman also offers the ability to start as well (if need be).
I still find it remarkable the Blue Jays were able to trade Drew Storen for Joaquin Benoit, let alone anything. Benoit’s best days may already be behind him, but much like Jason Grilli, Joaquin Benoit has evolved into a very useful tool in the Blue Jays repertoire.
At the heart of the Blue Jays relief corps is Roberto Osuna; the young man who just recently set a new record for most saves before turning 22 years old. Going back to the 2015 season, Osuna has been the one mainstay and truly dependable reliever back there in the bullpen.
When Pete Walker makes the call to bring Roberto Osuna into the game, very rarely is there a moment of panic; even if the game is on the line. Osuna pitches with the conviction and confidence of a 15-year veteran, and yet he’s barely been in the league two years.
Admittedly, relievers are volatile by nature and so too are bullpens. Very rarely will a team’s cast of relievers perform consistently well, year after year.
At this point, the Blue Jays are simply hoping to put up consistent results for a few months on end. What the Blue Jays have been able to accomplish as of late as a relief corps is a great start.