Opening Series Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (0-0) vs. New York Yankees (0-0)
Plus: Last-minute roster notes
After a pre-season of (mostly) highs with some, uh, fairly notable no’s mixed in there for good measure, we’ve finally arrived at opening day. And what better opponent for the Jays to match up with than the ball club they hope to challenge for the division title?
If you’re hoping for a nice, easy start to the season, the answer is probably “literally any other American League team”. Especially when that team is throwing one of the top three pitchers in the game up against you. That’s AL East Hell, for you, baby!
In Case You Missed It
I did a spring training post-mortem where I talked a bit about the players competing for a spot on the team who made it to the promised land. I also talked a bit about those who didn’t make it, and predicted that Julian Merryweather and Reese McGuire would get the last two spots on the active roster.
One out of two ain’t bad in baseball. A little shocked that I didn’t even end up mentioning the other guy who made the team.
I also tried my hand at a season preview that is also a not-so-veiled attempt to get people to subscribe to JAYSLAM already. Like most previews, I’m sure it’ll prove laughably incorrect within the month, so if you ever wanted receipts on me, come and get ‘em.
Roster Updates
As was expected, both George Springer and Robbie Ray have been placed on the IL to start the season, per Arden Zwelling. Joining them on the 10-day IL will be Thomas Hatch, Nate Pearson, and George Springer, and Kirby Yates (who they probably don’t want to move to the 60-day IL until they’re absolutely sure he’s getting Tommy John, but come on).
Zwelling also announced the full opening day roster, plus taxi squad.
RIP Breyvic, we hardly knew ye.
The Jays ended up opting against carrying Reese McGuire or another utility player in favour of a reliever, which I can’t say I blame them for. If they want to stand a better chance of beating the Yankees (which, I mean, I would certainly hope that they want to) a reliever is much more useful than somebody who you actively want to avoid giving plate appearances to.
It’s a frustrating end to the Blue Jays tenures of both McGuire and Valera, but there’s always a market for players of their skill set, so I imagine that they’ll find a job easily enough, even if it’s not with Toronto.
(UPDATE/SOMETHING I FORGOT TO MENTION: As a premonition of what was to come, the Jays had traded for catcher Juan Graterol, with cash considerations going the other way. In 67 MLB games dating back to 2016, Graterol has an unsightly 27 wRC+ while providing solid enough defence to almost be replacement level. Depending on how the Jays view Riley Adams, he could be the first man called up if Jansen gets hurt or if Kirk gets sent down (impossible as the latter scenario is, clearly)).
I called Julian Merryweather making the team, but I completely blanked on considering that Joel Payamps might take the second spot after he’d only pitched one Grapefruit League inning, beating out the likes of Anthony Kay, Tommy Milone, and A.J. Cole. Making the opening day roster has to feel good for Payamps, who’s been tossed around between the Diamondbacks, Red Sox, and Blue Jays over the last few months.
For whatever it’s worth, I actually NAILED that taxi squad prediction. Woe to anyone who doubts my powers at looking at a list of fringe MLB players and saying, “eh, fuck it, probably that guy”.
The starting lineup going up against Gerrit Cole has also been announced. You have to think this is probably the layout we’ll be seeing more often than not with Springer out.
Schedule/Probable Pitchers:
Thursday, April 1 (1 p.m. EST/11 a.m. MST): Hyun-Jin Ryu vs. Gerrit Cole
Saturday, April 3 (1 p.m. EST/11 a.m. MST): Ross Stripling (presumptive) vs. Corey Kluber
Sunday, April 4 (1 p.m. EST/11 a.m. MST): T.J. Zeuch (presumptive) vs. Domingo Germán
Narratives:
After getting riddled by injuries and ending up bounced by the Rays in the ALDS, the New York Yankees, arguably the third-best team in baseball on paper, are hoping to tear through the American League this year with a juggernaut of an offence led by D.J. LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. Judge and Stanton especially will hope to end up with more days on the active roster than the IL by season’s end, for a nice change of pace. Staying healthy will be key for the Yankees in general, who have already lost Luke Voit to knee surgery to start the year.
Their starting rotation is filled by question marks in Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, and Domingo Germán, but Gerrit Cole helps to alleviate some of those concerns.
The Yankees will hope to make an example of the upstart Toronto Blue Jays to start the season. The Baby Jays will counter with a dreadnought of their own, even with George Springer out with an oblique injury, as well as their own number one in Hyun-Jin Ryu. After the opening duel between aces, it becomes a bit of a crapshoot, pitching-wise, especially on the Jays’ end, as they’ll throw out two of Ross Stripling, T.J. Zeuch, Steven Matz, and Tanner Roark.
Does that bode well for the Jays? Uh…. Who’s to say, really???
It’s a tough first assignment for the Jays, but it’s a good test for a team that wants to prove that they’re championship contenders. They’ll just have to hope that their starting rotation can go a bit above and beyond to prove that.