By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

Despite Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro‘s recent comments with regards to Aaron Sanchez and his seemingly inevitable move to the bullpen,  John Gibbons told reporters on Wednesday that management remains on the fence about the whole situation.

“Truthfully, we’re still debating what’s actually going to happen” said Toronto’s skipper when pressed about the issue. “Nothing’s locked in stone yet”.

In only his third season with the big club, Sanchez leads the American League in earned run average (2.71), ranks tenth in WHIP (1.134) and is seventh in wins above replacement (3.6). He’s easily been one of, if not the most, consistent starter on a staff that leads the league in innings pitched (686), quality starts (70) and ERA (3.63).

Having made a career-high 21 starts in 2016, the 24 year-old now finds himself in uncharted waters.

In an age of pitch counts, innings limits and a never ending cycle of Tommy John surgeries, teams now tend to eer on the side of caution when it comes to how they utilize their prized young hurlers.

Sanchez is no diffrent.

At the conclusion of his last start against the Orioles on Sunday, the former first-round pick (2010) had already eclipsed his season high in wins (11), strikeouts (118) and, above all else, innings pitched (139.1).

“No one in their right mind, including him, would suggest that could happen” said Shapiro when explaining Sanchez’s current situation and how he will not pitch upwards to 230 innings in 2016.

What do Sanchez’s teammates think about the pending move?

“I don’t like it,” explained his catcher, Russell Martin in a TV interview with Sportsnet’s Tim and Sid on Tuesday. “You got a guy who is cruising, showing no signs of fatigue. If the guy is completely healthy and putting up quality start after quality start, I don’t even know why it’s a discussion right now.”

At the non-waiver trade deadline on Monday, the Toronto flipped starting pitcher Drew Hutchison to the Pirates in exchange for left-handed starter Francisco Liriano and a pair of highly touted minor league prospects.

Liriano’s arrival all but sealed Sanchez’s fate… Or did it?

As of Thursday, the 32 year-old southpaw is slated to make his Blue Jays debut on Friday night against the Royals. He’ll be followed by Sanchez on Saturday, and Marcus Stroman in the series finale on Sunday.

Like Sanchez, the 25-year old Stroman has already passed his MLB season high in innings pitched, and currently sits at 142.1 on the year. Unlike his fellow righty, Stroman missed the majority of 2015 with an ACL tear that limited him to only 27 innings of work for the Blue Jays upon his return in September.

Does the time off last season mean that Stroman shouldn’t be handled with the same type of caution that Sanchez has garnered in 2016?

Doubtful.

Perhaps having an additional starter, one who also comes complete with experience pitching in the postseason, affords Gibbons with the ability to pick his spots when it come to running out his talented young hurlers for the remainder of the season.

As it stands, the Blue Jays have employ a six-man rotation that includes J.A. Happ, R.A. Dickey and Marco Estrada along with Sanchez, Stroman and now Liriano added to in the mix.

With both Sanchez and Stroman’s innings limits now in question, Estrada struggling at times with a sore back and a pair of veteran arms in Lirano and Dickey, sticking with a six-man option could serve the Blue Jays well as they vie to get back into the postseason for the second consecutive year.

Of course, running a heavy rotation would come with additional implications… At least until the rosters expand in September.

Ahead of Thursday’s finale in Houston, the Jays roster consists of six starters, seven relievers, two catchers, five infielders, four outfielders and one designated hitter.

Barring another stretch of extra inning contests, it’s not an entirely unideal setup.

-Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)