The Toronto Blue Jays caught a break yesterday, with the postponement of their game in Chicago against the Cubs, due to rain, an opportunity to rest an over-worked bullpen staff.<\/p>\n
The Jays\u2019 bullpen is on pace this season to hit some historic numbers when it comes to usage \u2013 five pitchers making 75 or more appearances in a single season, according to MLB.com. The Jays\u2019 bullpen has thrown 334.2 innings pitched this season, third in the league (with a 3.66 bullpen ERA, good for 10th in MLB).<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not going to be sustainable if they intend to make a run for a wildcard spot. They need length out of the starting staff, which has been hammered by injuries. The Jays through 66 games have been forced to go with 10 bullpen days.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s help on the way on the starter\u2019s side, with Shane Bieber set to make his season debut tomorrow at Rogers Centre against the Houston Astros.<\/p>\n
Bieber was supposed to start tonight\u2019s game, but that start got pushed back a day with yesterday\u2019s postponement of their game in Chicago.<\/p>\n
The return of Bieber, and soon, Max Scherzer (back spasms), puts Patrick Corbin\u2019s place on the team in question. Corbin has struggled of late as a starter, filling in for the injured staff, giving up 14 runs and 23 hits across 15.1 innings in four starts.<\/p>\n
He got through just 3.2 IP on Saturday against the Cubs, giving up three runs on six hits, putting his team in the hole (they would come back to win 8-6, though, thanks, again, to solid bullpen work from Jeff Hoffman, Mason Fluharty and Louis Varland, who\u2019s been lights out as a closer with a 0.86 ERA).<\/p>\n
The challenge in moving Corbin to the bullpen is Simeon Woods Richardson has thrown seven scoreless innings in long relief since being picked up from the Minnesota Twins.<\/p>\n
RHP Yimi Garcia has resumed throwing, as well, and is near a rehab assignment, working his way back from elbow surgery, and could be back in the bullpen in the very near future.<\/p>\n
Scherzer was placed on the 15-day IL on June 17. He won\u2019t be out long. Now with Bieber coming back tomorrow, that means decisions are going to have to be made, but it\u2019s a good place for them to be in.<\/p>\n