Blue Jays make a dream come true in giving Nathan Lukes Opening Day spot

Baseball

Published 28.03.2023

Blue Jays make a dream come true in giving Nathan Lukes Opening Day spot

CLEARWATER, Fla. — This time final 12 months, Nathan Lukes was slightly bummed out. He’d simply put collectively a formidable spring coaching, solely to be lower on the final day of the Grapefruit League schedule with Gosuke Katoh incomes the ultimate spot on the Toronto Blue Jays’ roster as an alternative.

Disappointed, Lukes went to triple-A Buffalo and put collectively the perfect season of his minor-league profession, with a .285/.364/.425 batting line, 11 dwelling runs and 20 steals in 23 makes an attempt. But nonetheless, that wasn’t sufficient to earn the 28-year-old a shot on the main leagues.

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So when supervisor John Schneider tapped him on the shoulder Monday afternoon, Lukes wasn’t certain what to assume. He’d put collectively one other sturdy spring, hitting .286 with plus velocity and defence, however with Otto Lopez and Vinny Capra additionally competing for the Blue Jays’ last bench job, he might simply as simply think about one other task at triple-A.

Only this time, he was the one getting the decision to the foremost leagues.

“I’ve seen plenty of people (get called up), and I’ve always dreamed of having it happen to me,” Lukes stated. “And sure enough, it happened. I can’t really tell you how I feel. I’m probably still going to not going to feel it until Opening Day.”

The determination to roster Lukes highlighted a busy day on which the Blue Jays wrapped up their Grapefruit League schedule earlier than heading to St. Louis, the place they’ll work out Wednesday earlier than taking part in their season opener Thursday. Jose Berrios pitched in elements of 5 innings and Yusei Kikuchi struck out six to shut out spring coaching as emphatically as he began it.

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“Spring and the season is totally different,” Kikuchi said. “I want to continue to (pitch well), but I don’t want to say ‘maintain.’ I want to try to improve everything.”

Schneider additionally confirmed that Zach Pop made the Blue Jays as the ultimate reliever within the bullpen.

Meanwhile, Jay Jackson, who’d been launched from his contract over the weekend, agreed to phrases on a break up contract that may pay him over $1.5 million within the majors or near $500,000 within the minors. With the likes of Jackson, Nate Pearson and Yosver Zulueta within the triple-A bullpen, the Blue Jays have enviable depth within the bullpen.

Beyond the pitching, the choice to roster Lukes was most intriguing Tuesday. Lopez and Capra, the opposite contenders for the job, at the moment are slated to start out their seasons at triple-A Buffalo after being optioned and reassigned, respectively.

In Lukes, the Blue Jays add a left-handed hitter with velocity and the flexibility to play all three outfield positions. A seventh-round choose of the Guardians in 2015, Lukes has but to make his MLB debut regardless of taking part in 287 video games on the triple-A stage.

“We trust him in the outfield,” Schneider stated. “We trust him on the bases. Obviously, his at-bats have been great. But the way we’re built and constructed right now, it’ll be in a probably here-and-there role to start. But just excited that he’s got the chance at the major leagues.”

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Over the course of 111 video games for the Buffalo Bisons final 12 months, he made most of his begins in centre discipline — his favorite of the three — whereas additionally taking part in recurrently within the corners.

Asked to explain his skill-set, he pointed first to his effort stage.

“I just grind it out constantly,” he stated. “I don’t think I’m an easy out, whether that’s in the batter’s box or on the bases. I just go out there and play hard.”

As a member of the Blue Jays’ bench, Lukes might be known as on to play defence late in video games or pinch run for the likes of catcher Alejandro Kirk and first baseman Brandon Belt late in video games, Schneider stated. Yet chances are high, he received’t begin many video games over Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer.

“We feel comfortable with him,” Schneider stated. “It’s not so much base stealing, but also scoring from first on the double or scoring from second on a hit. Things like that and giving K.K. and George a (breather).”

As for Lopez, the Blue Jays had been impressed by his displaying this spring even when he didn’t make the staff.

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“There was nothing more he could have done to break with us,” Schneider stated. “When we start this whole thing at the beginning of camp, I tell the guys it’s going to take contributions from everyone in the room. He’s going to be part of that at some point as well.”

With Tuesday’s loss to the Phillies, the Blue Jays wrapped up a spring that may solely be described as profitable. Sure, there have been mishaps — an harm scare for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a number of arm points for Mitch White, for example — however between Kikuchi’s dominant spring and the general well being of the roster, that is fairly near how the Blue Jays would have drawn all of it up.

Now, it’s on to St. Louis the place additional challenges await. But with a gifted roster in place and additional reinforcements on the best way, there’s no cause the Blue Jays shouldn’t be thought of one of many American League’s elite groups as spring coaching involves an finish.

As Kikuchi stated: “We have raw talent and, I believe, one of the best teams in the world.”

—————————————-

The Blue Jays have till midday on March 30 to submit their roster to the commissioner’s workplace. When they do, right here’s the way it’ll look:

Catchers (2)

Danny Jansen (R)

Alejandro Kirk (R)

Infielders (5)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R)

Brandon Belt (L)

Santiago Espinal (R)

Bo Bichette (R)

Matt Chapman (R)