Jays navigating pitching plans through final days of spring training

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DUNEDIN, Fla. — Even when things are running smoothly and camp is quiet, manager John Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker are two of the busiest men at Blue Jays spring training.

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There are meetings stacked upon meetings, drills upon drills, roster decisions to be made and most importantly in the present, piecing together the team’s complicated pitching puzzle.

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With four injuries altering plans – two to starters and two to significant arms in the bullpen — there’s plenty of moving parts with the season opener now just five days away.

It certainly made for an interesting split squad Saturday for the Schneider-Walker tandem, who were at TD Ballpark to oversee Yusei Kikuchi’s shaky final spring start and had pondered a post-game drive south to see Yariel Rodriguez make his second start of the pre-season in Sarasota.

The pair ultimately opted not to make the trip south on a busy Saturday on the Gulf Coast highways and will rely on a detailed report from their staff. But the larger point, according to Schneider, is that the Jays haven’t ruled the Cuban free agent signee as a possibility to start on the opening weekend and depending on how things play out, Rodriguez could be required sooner than later.

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That in itself is the bind they find themselves in after a bumpy exhibition run for the pitching staff.

“There’s a lot going on between the bullpen and rotation,” Schneider said on Saturday morning. “It’s not so much performance, it’s how everything lines up in the next couple of days.”

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Here’s what the Jays know definitively thus far:

Jose Berrios, who pitched an intra-squad on Friday as his final tune up gets the opening day start at the Trop.

Chris Bassitt, who is expected to start against the Phillies on Sunday in Clearwater on Sunday gets the ball for Game 2.

Kikuchi, who struggled with his command on Saturday in a 10-7 loss to the Tigers, makes his 2024 debut in the third of four games in the opening series. Kikuchi was rocked hard by Tigers hitters, allowing eight runs on six hits through 3.1 innings.

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Sure there was a hefty wind at TD Ballpark, but the Japanese lefty still surrendered three home runs.

The final known spot goes to Bowden Francis, one of the good-news stories of the spring, rounds out the Trop stop.

After that, it gets, well, complicated. Kevin Gausman is the front runner, if he’s ready, but behind him are a list of contingencies, including Rodriguez.

“I think just executing,” Schneider said, when asked what he’d be looking for from the newcomer’s outing against the Orioles. “We know what his stuff is. It’s just (seeing how) he’s executing against a pretty good lineup.”

Should the team decide Gausman isn’t ready — a distinct possibility — that is where the numerous contingencies start coming into play.

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Gausman will get a start on Monday, either in Bradenton to close the pre-season or in a minor-league contest closer to home. The 2023 Cy Young Award finalist pitched a bullpen session on Saturday to prepare for that yet to be decided assignment.

Other options, of course, involve learning heavier on the bullpen until Gausman is ready, but that too is less than ideal.

“It’s a give and take,” Schneider said. “I think we feel comfortable with where the starters are first and foremost with how they’re being built up. And we’re going to lean on those three guys between Jose, Chris and Yusei early a little bit.

“You don’t want to put anyone a step behind in the first 10 days or so.”

As they weave through the decision-making process, Schneider said the coaching staff won’t get hung up on which players are on the 40-man roster and which aren’t.

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“It’s always easier when you are on (the 40-man),” Schneider said. “But I think we’re at the point with this team (where) it’s the best team. We’re going to try to make the best decision whether you’re on the 40-man and go from there.”

AROUND THE BASES

Schneider was able to finalize one roster decision on Saturday, announcing that catcher Brian Serven has made the opening day roster. He’ll back up Alejandro Kirk until Danny Jansen recovers from his injured hand … With the pre-season schedule wrapping up on Monday, high on the Jays wish list is to remain healthy. So there was certainly a scare when centre fielder Kevin Keirmaier went down in a heap after fouling a pitch off his right knee in the first inning. Kiermaier appeared to dodge a bullet, however, with the injury being diagnosed as a bruised knee … Kikuchi didn’t seem worried about his start. “I was throwing some good pitches but some leaked over the zone a little too much today,” Kikuchi said. “It was pretty clear what was a good pitch and what wasn’t. Knowing that it’s good moving forward. The adjustments are more so working ahead (in the count. If I straighten that out, I think I’ll be all right.”

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