Biagini back from Buffalo to start against Royals

By Andrew Hendriks
Canadian Baseball Network

Forced into a doubleheader scenario as a result of damage sustained to Rogers Centre’s roof during Monday’s rapid thaw in southwestern Ontario, the Blue Jays needed help.

Joe Biagini was recalled from triple-A Buffalo and immediately tasked their 26th man with starting the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals.

Appearing in 44 games last season, Biagini pitched to an ERA of 5.34 with 97 strikeouts against 44 walks over 119 2/3 innings of work. Of his 44 assignments, 18 came out of the rotation.

Stretched out as an insurance policy in the wake of Marcus Stroman’s shoulder inflammation diagnosis earlier this spring, the 27-year-old right-hander has made one start with the Bisons in 2018, tossing five innings while allowing a run in two hits and striking out four on April 9.

Monday’s postponement marked only the second time the Blue Jays have been turfed from the Dome due to a balky roof. On April 12, 2001, mechanical issues caused sections of the retractable lid to collide during a standard operations test, thus forcing the Blue Jays to reschedule the night’s contest. 

Oddly enough their opponent that day was Kansas City.

The Jays currently own a record of 21-40-44 over 105 doubleheader matchups dating back to their inaugural season in 1977. For what it’s worth, those figures include an 0-3 mark facing the Royals.

Tuesday’s games will mark only the third time the Blue Jays have played a doubleheader at home since moving into the Dome back in May of 1989. 

Toronto took both ends of a July 17, 1989 showing against the then California Angels -- a make up of an Exhibition Stadium rain out -- and later swept a two-game set playing the Cleveland Indians on Oct. 5, 2001. 

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