Blue Jays vs A.L. East: Positional Rankings As of 15 Nov

Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

STARTING PITCHER #2

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It’s funny how only those who saw Estrada’s performance throughout the season and playoffs appreciate how much his game grew and how dominant he was. There’s one major reason the Jays want to bring back Dioner Navarro and he’s it. That combination baffled hitters all season long. After all, if I told you an A.L. East pitcher would throw 181 inning and only give up 134 hits, who would you name first?

Most wouldn’t name Estrada within their first 7 guesses, but that’s what he did. His 1.044 Whip was also outstanding. Still, it’s not enough to beat out Chris Archer who struck out 252 hitters over 212 innings of work. Pineda is up and down like a yo-yo and the other two would be 5th starters or pen options on most clubs.

Side Note: Again, the Red Sox – and Orioles – are looking to add to their rotations and are likely to address their shortcomings there. With new management in Boston, one that’s aggressive about setting up it’s top 3 SP options, there’s a chance they’ll add two of the top five SP options on the FA market. Until then, this is how things stand.

Ranking: 1. Archer, 2. Estrada, 3. Pineda, 4. Gonzalez, 5. Porcello

Next: Ranking Mid-Rotation Arms