Blue Jays: What’s next for the disappearing Drew Storen?

Drew Storen has made just two appearances for the Blue Jays since July 3rd

The bullpen is an area of potential improvement for the Toronto Blue Jays as the trade deadline looms, and at this point, the team is working with a six-man group.

Given the inconsistent left-handed options there’s an argument for five, but offseason addition Drew Storen had fallen far since his spring training competition with Roberto Osuna for the closer’s role (a situation that, in hindsight, rivals Aaron Sanchez narrowly beating out Gavin Floyd for the fifth and final rotation spot).

Through the first 96 games, Storen has pitched 32.1 innings in 37 appearances and owns a 5.57 ERA. His home runs allowed per nine innings, WHIP, FIP and ERA+ all represent career worsts.

Unfortunately this trend is not a surprise for a high-velocity, late-inning reliever three weeks from turning 29.

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Storen’s PITCHf/x data shows that his fastball velocity, on average, has dipped just over 1.5 MPH. The same goes for his sinking fastball (-2.0 MPH), slider (-1.0 MPH), and changeup (-2.5 MPH).

John Gibbons’ usage of Storen has reflected these regressions as the right-hander has gone from set-up man to the seventh arm in the bullpen. Storen has pitched just twice since his July 3rd outing against the Cleveland Indians, which itself was in a 17-1 blowout win. That means Storen has thrown just one and a third innings in the last 12 games.

The biggest factor here is salary, of course. If Storen were earning $1 million dollars in 2016, he may very well have been designated for assignment by this point. Instead, with an $8.375 million price tag, Storen has essentially become unmovable. Releasing him is too harsh an option, given his remaining money and the possibility that he could still recapture some of his 2014-2015 form from Washington.

Just last year, Storen was one of baseball’s best relief pitchers until Washington’s poorly-managed addition of Jonathan Papelbon, who was immediately handed a closer’s job that Storen had earned.

At this point in the season, though, Toronto has little room for hope. This is especially true with Brett Cecil coming off giving up a three-run home in Arizona to bump his ERA up to 6.75. Speaking of relievers that were among the best in baseball last season..

As undesirable as it may seem, Storen’s remaining salary could even become a tool used by the Blue Jays at the deadline. With over $3 million remaining on his salary this year (Washington sent the difference between his contract and Revere’s in cash as part of the initial deal), Storen could conceivably be used to balance salaries if the Blue Jays were to acquire a larger contract.

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Instead of having a trading partner eat a portion of the salary on a player like Jay Bruce or Melvin Upton Jr. (who’ve had real and rumoured links to the Blue Jays), Toronto could send Storen’s salary the other way to alter the finances of the deal while opening up a bullpen spot for better use.