Blue Jays: 5 LH relief pitchers to consider

Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays were left dangerously exposed against left-handed hitters late in their 2015 playoff run. With Brett Cecil lost to injury and Aaron Loup unavailable as he dealt with a personal matter, the Blue Jays were left to face their non-existent left-handed bullpen depth. With free agency on the horizon, this is something that Mark Shapiro and Tony LaCava will need to address.

In our look yesterday at the five right-handed bullpen options the Blue Jays could explore on the open market, we discussed that the potential shift of Roberto Osuna and Aaron Sanchez into starting roles could leave the bullpen as an area of great need. Those moves will remain relevant to the southpaws, as the increased importance of Brett Cecil would leave Loup as the only true “lefty specialist” ready to impact the MLB bullpen. Given his 2015 struggles, that’s not all that reassuring.

After three seasons of quality and consistent performances from Loup, his dominant splits eroded in 2015 and eventually landed him in AAA Buffalo. His track record and 2015 metrics suggest a bounce back season, but even if that does happen, given the unique dominance of Cecil, there’s more than enough room for a third left-hander.

Ahead, we look at five names to monitor in relation to the Blue Jays over the coming weeks. While they don’t represent a one-to-five talent ranking, they do offer Toronto some effective arms at varying price points.

First up is a longtime member of the Philadelphia Phillies who continued his strong career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015…

Next: The top option can be a real Bastardo...

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Bastardo   (30)
2015: 57.1 IP, 2.98 ERA

The Domincan born Bastardo has a a good shot at a multi-year deal in a very thin reliever’s market this offseason, and is likely to sit near the top of any lefty list. After being traded from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh this past December, he continued to pitch well and posted his third ERA under 3.00 in the past five seasons.

While he’s more than capable of handling full innings and consecutive right-handed bats, his career numbers against left-handed hitters are even more impressive. Bastardo holds lefties to a line of .178 / .277 / .319.

Walks have been an issue for Bastardo in the past, but his career 4.3 BB/9 is balanced out well by his career K/9 of 11.0. He’s also done very well to keep the ball in the yard, recording a HR/9 of 0.6 or lower in each of his past three seasons.

Bastardo works primarily with a fastball and slider combination, and grades out similarly to 2015 Liam Hendriks in the sense of having a plus slider with a plus-plus fastball. He maxes out around 93 MPH on the radar gun, and has been known to mix in the odd changeup. While Bastardo may not be the cheapest option on the market, he’ll be one of the best.

Next: If that one's too expensive, try a Sipp of this...

Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Sipp   (32)
2015: 54.1 IP, 1.99 ERA

Tony Sipp is hitting the open market at the right time, and every little out counted in 2015 as that 1.99 ERA looks so much nicer than a 2.00. Originally a 45th round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 2004 (where he played until 2012, so there’s a Shapiro link to keep in mind), Sipp has since spent time with the Diamondbacks and Astros.

Viewing Sipp’s transition from 2013 through until this past season is encouraging, as he did take noticeable strides in each full offseason. A 32-year old reliever coming off a career year is always a risky free agent scenario, but with two consecutive years moving in the right direction, Sipp is given some level of added clarity.

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Above all else, Sipp’s pitch control has saved him. He walked an ugly 5.3 batters per nine in 2013, and posted a BB/9 above 5.0 twice earlier in career. Once it gets to that point, you’re dealing with a free base runner every second outing on average. Since his improvements began in 2013, however, Sipp dropped his BB/9 to 3.0 in 2014 then down to a career low of 2.5 this past season. I doubt it’s a sustainable drop, but at the very least, the 5.0 days seem to be over.

Sipp did see his average velocities drop by 1.0 MPH or more across the board this past season, and while his changeup continued to be effective, his fastball and slider seemed to take a step backwards. He was still topping out around 92 MPH, however, and looking at his past few seasons, this could be a outlying fluctuation.

He seems to have enjoyed his time in Houston and expressed a desire to return, but given the lefty market around him, Sipp will have suitors. He’s not the safest bet to make, but his price tag could come to reflect that.

Next: Next up, a man whose arm is back in one piece...

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry Blevins   (32)
2015: 5.0 IP, 0.00 ERA

Blevins represents one of the more interesting free agent cases on the bullpen market after missing the majority of 2015 with a fractured arm that eventually led to a season-ending surgery. The 6’6″ lefty is not a top-tier option by any means, but concerns over his ability to return effectively in 2015 could drive his price down. If he’s right, Blevins has shown real potential through his career.

Spending the first six year of his Major League career with the Oakland Athletics organization, Blevins offered some reasonable consistency out of the bullpen while mixing in the odd plus season. He finished off his tenure there with a 2.86 ERA in 2011, 2.48 in 2012 and 3.15 in 2013, which in Billy Beane‘s eyes, made him a sell high candidate.

Blevins wasn’t himself in 2014 with the Nationals, and despite striking out opposing hitters at a career-best rate, his ERA jumped north. A 4.87 ERA paired with a 2.77 FIP suggests that luck wasn’t always on his side, though. In fact, his Fangraphs WAR of 0.8 was his best to date.

He’ll lean primarily on a sinking fastball that tops out around 91 MPH, which he pairs with a decent curveball. This could be someone who’s looking for a one-year deal to re-establish his value, and if the dollars keep Toronto away from a Bastardo or Sipp, Blevins could represent a more comfortable resting spot.

Next: If you're looking for a LOOGY, here's your guy...

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

 Matt Thornton   (39)
2015: 41.1 IP, 2.18 ERA

This wouldn’t be complete without a grizzled veteran, and we have that in the form of Matt Thornton. A Darren Oliver signing, if you will. Thornton posted another very efficient season with the Washington Nationals in 2015, and has only allowed his ERA to climb above 3.50 once since 2007.

Despite his age, I’d still expect Thornton to command a decent salary on the open market. Again, with the current crop of free agents, $1 million arms will quickly become $1.6 million arms, and so on.

Next: Examining how Pirates and Blue Jays could match up on trade for bullpen help

He doesn’t come without cause for worry, though. Thornton’s K/9 dropped all the way down to 5.0 last season, well below his career average of 8.8. He continued to maintain a great walk rate and has always done very well to avoid home runs, but the flamethrower saw his average fastball velocity drop nearly two full miles per hour to 93.5 in 2015.

Thornton did see a dip in 2013 followed by a bounce-back in 2014 velocity, however, so perhaps he’ll continue to justify the contracts that he earns. Even a 90% Matt Thornton is a great bullpen option, and another one to add to the Blue Jays radar. While he’d be best suited as a lefty-specialist, his splits haven’t yet gotten to the point of someone like Howell, and he could be trusted to get through a full inning featuring right-handed bats.