Based on the way the Blue Jays have approached the off-season, they appear content with the idea of running it back with a team whose identity will primarily be centred around pitching and defence.
A bat or two is still expected to be added but it will come in the form of a Jorge Soler or Joc Pederson type, not an MVP-calibre slugger like Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto.
The offence is coming off a season in which it was 14th with 746 runs and one of the top producers — Brandon Belt — has yet to be replaced. If the performance doesn’t significantly improve in 2024, the Jays’ best shot at contention will be via the mound, not the batter’s box.
The Jays believe they have the personnel in place to make it happen and last year’s stats support that theory. The rotation was third with a 3.85 ERA and fifth with 894 1/3 innings, just seven below the Mariners for most in the majors.
And all five starters who opened the 2023 season with the Jays remain under contract. The only departure was free agent Hyun-Jin Ryu, who returned from injury in late July and made 11 starts down the stretch.
No wonder the Jays are banking on a competent group that features Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, Yusei Kikuchi and, yes, Alek Manoah. With pitching like that and bounce-back seasons from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Alejandro Kirk. this team should steamroll its way through the AL East, right?
Not necessarily. Pitching is an unpredictable profession. One year a guy can be the master of his craft, the next he might be in over his head. Even those who prove to be remarkably consistent are at risk of injury.
この記事は Toronto Star の January 25, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は Toronto Star の January 25, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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