Series Preview: Blue Jays Head to New York with Season on the Line

Feb 23, 2015; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (6) warms up during morning work outs at Bobby Mattick Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Player to Watch

Marcus Stroman. I hate putting so much pressure on Stroman but his start could have a domino effect on the rest of the starting rotation. A rotation that seems to be struggling in some facets with three weeks left to go.

If Stroman gives Toronto a boost, perhaps he can fill in for the rest of the rotation when they need some rest. If he is the Stroman of old perhaps he shuffles Hutchison to the bullpen for the remainder of the season. I get loyalty to who got you there and Hutch has 13 wins, but he sure didn’t earn a lot of them. Stroman is definitely the apparent X-Factor of the Blue Jays season.

Prediction

If things keep along the same course you can expect this to be a split. It would be nice to get out of New York with a sweep or winning 3 of 4 but that doesn’t seem all that realistic given how closely matched these teams are. If the Blue Jays pound Yankee starters there is a pretty good bullpen waiting for them.

They will miss C.C. Sabathia this time around and this year that is a shame. Severino is proving to be what the Blue Jays hope Stroman will be. The team should be ready for an offensive outburst they didn’t se in Boston but it isn’t going to be easy to come by. Getting out with a split and a 1.5 game lead is nothing to sneeze at.

Next: Is Dickey Finally the Man?

More from Jays Journal

• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King
• Toronto Blue Jays: Has the Shift Killed Kevin Gausman’s 2022 Cy Young Hopes?
• Blue Jays: What Yusei Kikuchi’s latest stumble should mean
• Blue Jays: Alek Manoah on pace to succeed in possible postseason
• Blue Jays: Bradley Zimmer has carved himself a valuable role