Best Bird Update, Roster Contraction, Vinny Capra Hype-Posting + Series Preview: Houston Astros (10-9) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (13-7))
I’m running out the door to head to Canmore for the weekend, so unfortunately a longer-form post for the upcoming series was not in the cards. Which is a shame, because there’s a lot to talk about regarding the Jays taking three of four games from the hated but also shitty Boston Red Sox. From all four varying-degrees-of-good starting pitching performances, to the scuffling offense still finding timely ways to win ball games sometimes, to Gosuke Katoh’s first MLB hit after nearly a decade spent toiling in the minors, and Bowden Francis’ first MLB strikeout.
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TRANSACTION NEWS
Ryan Borucki just can’t catch a break, as after only getting into two games, the left-handed reliever was placed on the IL prior to Wednesday’s game, a blister on his middle finger necessitating another stint. Taking his place on the roster is Andrew Vasquez, a fellow lefty that we talked about back in March as a reclamation project. He had a terrible first game with the Blue Jays, getting knocked around in the ninth inning by the Red Sox and needing to be bailed out by Bowden Francis.
In the ever-bumping minor league signing news, former All-Star outfielder Dexter Fowler made his Triple-A Buffalo Bisons debut Thursday night going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a run scored, and a sac fly. It’s tough to find a fit for him on the MLB roster at the moment should he be deemed ready, but he remains nonetheless an intriguing piece to have kicking around in the minors.
Oh hey, look, a last-minute roster addition! One that challenges Jordan Romano for the coveted title of “most Italian-sounding name on the ballclub”!
25-year old Capra was a 20th round pick in the 2018 draft out of the University of Richmond, and has spent his entire professional baseball career in the Blue Jays’ minor league system. If/when he makes it into a game, Capra will be making his Major League debut.
Listed at 5’8’’ and 175 pounds, Capra has mostly played on the left side of the infield at both shortstop and third base, but he’s also played second base and some outfield. For his career, he’s slashed .263/.337/.395 in the minor leagues, showing fair walk rates and average strikeout rates while showing little in the way of power while also providing some speed. He had an excellent 2021 in Double-A New Hampshire (.327/.396/.548, 156 wRC+, albeit with a .428 BABIP) and has been off to a good start in Triple-A this year, slashing .304/.377/.478 with 132 wRC+ in 18 games, with a much more sustainable .310 BABIP.
For as long as he remains on the Blue Jays, Capra figures to provide some insurance for the left side of the infield, as well as some speed off the bench and a rare right-handed non-starting bat, though how much his offence is going to be called upon given his skillset is the question. He’s been slightly young for each level he’s played at thus far, but he hasn’t placed on any Jays prospect lists that I’m aware of, though he did get a very short blurb on this year’s FanGraphs list where he was described as having “bench ceiling”. Which, to be fair, is all he should be expected to provide on this team. The over/under on shoehorned It’s a Wonderful Life references I’ll be making this season is now set to 2.5. Please gamble responsibly.
On Tuesday morning, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to make modifications to the roster rules. 28-man active rosters were set to contract to 26, with a 13-pitcher limit, on May 2. While rosters are still set to contract on that date, teams will now be able to carry up to 14 pitchers until May 30th. At that point, the 13-pitcher maximum will come into effect.
The 28-man rosters were a response to a shortened spring training that has seen pitchers need longer into the regular season than usual to build up their workload, and this new modification is an extension of that. While I’m in favour of a limit on pitchers to re-emphasize starting pitching and minimize roster churn, this just seems to make sense in a year where we’re still seeing pitchers not quite built up to where they would be in previous years.
As for how this affects the Jays, Charlie Montoyo has historically been only too happy to carry as much pitchers as possible, and I fully expect the Jays to carry all 14 hurlers. This would still mean that one pitcher as well as one position player would need to be sent down, as with Francis sent down, the Jays are currently carrying 15 pitchers. Of the relievers, Andrew Vasquez would appear to be the most likely candidate to return to Buffalo, and if Trent Thornton continues to look as not-good as he did on Wednesday he could make a solid case for being optioned to the Bisons himself.
BEST BIRDS
Hitter: George Springer (1) .375/.412/.563, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 0.60 Win Probability Added
I like it when George Springer is able to play baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club
Honourable Mentions: Santiago Espinal, Alejandro Kirk
Pitcher: Alek Manoah (4) 7 innings, 25 batters faced, 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 0 home runs
Excerpt from Manoah’s recent interview with FanGraphs’ David Laurila:
Laurila: One last thing: is pitching fun?
Manoah: “It’s f-ing amazing. Do you enjoy watching?”
Laurila: Absolutely. I love watching. And while I haven’t pitched since high school, I’ll actually daydream about being out there on the mound.
Manoah: “I love watching it, too. And I love doing it. There is nothing like standing out there in front of 50,000 and throwing a ‘shutty.’ Pitching is fun.”
You said it best, Alek!
Honourable Mentions: Kevin Gausman, José Berríos
Best Bird Standings:
Hitters:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.- 2
George Springer- 1
Santiago Espinal- 1
Zack Collins - 1
Danny Jansen- 1
Pitchers:
Alek Manoah- 4
Kevin Gausman- 1
Jordan Romano- 1
SCHEDULE/PROBABLE PITCHERS
(Stats are from 2021-22)
Friday, April 29, (7 p.m. EST/5 p.m. MST):
José Urquidy (3.85 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 20.0 K%, 4.3 BB%, 9.6 Barrel%)
Yusei Kikuchi (4.37 ERA, 4.73 FIP, 23.8 K%, 10.0 BB%, 10.5 Barrel%)
Saturday, April 30, (3 p.m. EST/1 p.m. MST):
Luis García (3.58 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 26.1 K%, 7.8 BB%, 7.9 Barrel%)
José Berríos (3.64 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 25.3 K%, 6.0 BB%, 9.5 Barrel%)
Sunday, May 1, (1:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. MST)
Framber Valdez (3.14 ERA, 3.94 FIP, 21.5 K%, 10.6 BB%, 5.1 Barrel%)
Kevin Gausman (2.74 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 29.7 K%, 5.7 BB%, 7 Barrel%)
THE OPPOSITION
Pythagorean Record: 9-10
Season Series vs. Blue Jays: 1-2
Record since the last series vs. Blue Jays: 3-1
Last 10 games: 5-5
Best (Healthy) Players (2021-22 Stats):
Kyle Tucker, Right Field, .282/.347/.537, 141 wRC+
Yordan Álvarez, Designated Hitter/Left Field, .274/.345/.529, 139 wRC+
Framber Valdez, Starting Pitcher, 3.14 ERA, 3.94 FIP, 21.5 K%, 10.6 BB%, 5.1 Barrel%
Alex Bregman, Third Base, .267/.356/.425, 120 wRC+
Justin Verlander, Starting Pitcher, 1.73 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 29.8 K%, 4.3 BB%, 8.2 Barrel%