Will Romano’s injury affect Blue Jays’ Deadline plans?
TORONTO — The Blue Jays positioned All-Star nearer Jordan Romano on the 15-day injured listing with decrease again irritation on Saturday, throwing a wrench right into a key stretch of their schedule that features the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline.
Romano first felt his again flare up earlier this month through the All-Star Game, which he needed to exit early. A number of further days of relaxation received Romano again to a spot the place he was comfy sufficient to pitch, however his again tightened up once more in Friday’s 4-1 win over the Angels. This time, it was much less delicate.
The Canadian right-hander was in apparent ache, grinding by way of two outs earlier than he walked gingerly off the mound. This is a matter of tightness and discomfort that appeared to harm Romano most on the finish of his supply as his proper leg swung by way of and landed. He’ll now take the 15 days, at minimal, to get proper for the stretch run.
This isn’t any small loss. Romano has pitched to a 2.79 ERA this season, his 28 saves placing him in a tie for third in MLB getting into Saturday. It even seemed like he’d have a shot at Duane Ward’s membership report of 45 saves in 1993, which has stood for 3 many years, however now the membership’s focus will shift to getting Romano again to his outdated self in time for September.
Who is the brand new nearer?
Well, it is determined by the evening.
“I think we’d probably mix and match based on where we are in the lineup,” supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “You look at guys who pitch at the back end between Yimi García, Tim Mayza and Erik Swanson, obviously. I think you just mix and match based on where we are in the lineup.”
Swanson is the wise choose to be first in line, although, and he’s coming off one of many greatest reduction innings of the season for this membership. After Kevin Gausman loaded the bases with no outs within the seventh inning of Friday’s recreation, Swanson strolled in and retired three Angels batters in a row, shutting down a rally that might have flipped the sport fully.
“To come in right there with two strikeouts [to start], it’s what we were banking on with his splitter,” Schneider mentioned. “He’s been doing it all year in high-leverage spots, sometimes even higher than what we’re putting Jordan into with a three-run lead in the ninth. He’s been awesome.”
García brings some expertise within the position, too, with 15 saves for the Marlins in 2021, and the Blue Jays have all the time positioned an emphasis on having choices behind Romano who’ve been in these large moments. Mayza can be the decision if the ninth inning, for instance, had a few lefties to work round.
How does this influence the Trade Deadline?
There are not any indications that Romano’s damage is long-term, however the Blue Jays nonetheless should adapt. If they’d rated their bullpen want at a 4 on the 1-to-10 scale a day in the past, it’s a 5 or a six now. They received’t have a knee-jerk response, however the want can’t be ignored, both.
Toronto did some early buying by including Génesis Cabrera as a second lefty alongside Mayza, however one other true back-end arm by no means hurts.
Good groups have one nearer. World Series groups have three or 4.
Who are the opposite inside bullpen choices?
Nate Pearson, recalled from Triple-A Buffalo in Romano’s place, has been largely wonderful this season. The downside for Pearson has been that the unhealthy days look significantly unhealthy, just like the latest outing towards the Mariners in Seattle that led to him being optioned. While the closing duties needs to be dealt with by the back-end trio talked about above, everybody wants to maneuver up a rung, and Pearson has the expertise to do exactly that.
Chad Green is the X-factor in all of this, although. Scheduled to pitch for Single-A Dunedin Saturday and shortly transfer to Triple-A to spherical out his rehab from Tommy John surgical procedure, Green might be again inside per week or two. The veteran right-hander pitched in some large moments for the Yankees earlier in his profession, and the timing of his return couldn’t be higher.
