DUNEDIN, Fla. – Early Thursday morning, Charlie Montoyo called Jose Berrios into his office. Congratulations, the manager said. You’ve worked for this. You’ve earned this. You’re starting opening day.
It wasn’t exactly a secret – as Montoyo said, “he kind of knew” – but it was still an emotional moment for Berrios. It’ll be the third time he starts on opening day, but his first chance to do so for the Blue Jays, a team whose last two season openers took place away from home. To receive the message from Montoyo, a fellow Puerto Rican, was a bonus.
“I’m so happy,” Berrios said. “It’s like when you were young and it’s the first day you’re going to school. The same feeling, the same emotion. I’m so excited for that day now. I know when I tell my family, they’re going to celebrate the same as me. It’s a privilege for me to be pitching that day, but at the same time I worked for that.”
Even now, the work continues. Soon after hearing the news, Berrios quietly made his way to the gang mounds at the Blue Jays training facility, throwing a bullpen session to catcher Danny Jansen under the supervision of pitching coach Pete Walker in preparation for his final spring start on Saturday. There was no fanfare, just a few observers watching as Berrios hit Jansen’s glove over and over and asked his catcher the occasional question.
But on a staff that also includes two-time Cy Young finalist Hyun-Jin Ryu plus Kevin Gausman, Alek Manoah and Yusei Kikuchi, there’s no doubting the significance of the opening day assignment.
“It’s a big compliment to him because of the pitching staff that we have,” Montoyo said. “Any of those guys could be No. 1. Ryu’s done it. Gausman could be. Of course Manoah. So it’s a big compliment to this guy.”
Barring an unexpected change to the Blue Jays’ plans, Gausman, Ryu, Manoah and Kikuchi would follow Gausman in the rotation in that order. On paper, it could be one of the best starting rotations in baseball.
“We can do a lot of good things,” Berrios said. “Special things. We have great arms. Righties and lefties, from the starting pitching to the bullpen. That’s why I’ve been saying we have a special team, a special group.”
But as promising as the rotation looks, wrinkles are emerging elsewhere on the staff. Closer Jordan Romano tripped while walking his dog this week, leading to a left ankle sprain Montoyo described as mild. The right-hander plans to throw a light bullpen session Friday, and the Blue Jays fully expect he’ll be ready for opening day next Friday.
“Oh, yeah,” Montoyo said. “For sure.”
Of course, there are times any closer’s unavailable after working heavily for a few days, and when those situations surface for the Blue Jays, Yimi Garcia will be a prime candidate to save games.
“I’m ready,” said Garcia, who also expects to be ready for opening day despite visa issued that delayed his spring debut until Wednesday. “I want to do my job. It doesn’t matter which inning, seventh, eighth, ninth. If they want me to start, I’ll start for this team.”
A more encouraging development for the bullpen came thanks to Julian Merryweather, whose stuff remains as lively as ever. In 1 1/3 innings of work, he struck out three while allowing three hits, including a home run, and topping out at 99 mph. on the radar gun. Although he doesn’t have a bullpen spot locked down, his arm certainly has the attention of team decision-makers.
Meanwhile, the status of Nate Pearson is also in question after he was scratched from a scheduled appearance Thursday. Pearson showed COVID-19 symptoms, but tested negative at the Blue Jays’ player development complex and at this point it’s unclear when he’ll pitch next.
The Blue Jays have been using Pearson once every five days to build up his stamina, but it’s likely Ross Stripling would be next in line for starts. Beyond Stripling, Pearson, Anthony Kay and Thomas Hatch would form the Blue Jays’ next layer of depth.
Those are details, though. Romano’s ankle notwithstanding, the Blue Jays’ pitching staff is taking shape largely as planned. Whatever the roster looks like, this much is clear: the expectations the pitchers have for one another are high.
“We’re here for a purpose,” Berrios said. “For a reason. We want to bring that win for the city. We start ready. We start here in spring training. We’re looking forward to having a great season, bringing a lot of happiness and energy for the fans in Toronto.”
