Blue Jays and the AL East Recap: Week 1

Baseball season is finally here! A lot has happened in a week as the Blue Jays got their first look at some division rivals.

Every week Jays Journal will take a look at the bigger picture of the AL East to help frame not only where the Blue Jays are in the standings, but why they are there.

Blue Jays:  3-4

The Blue Jays did not exactly get off the the start they were hoping for. Toronto has three wins scattered between 4 consecutive losses to division foes the Rays and the Red Sox.

That said, the team that took the field this week and presented itself as a tough contender just trying to shake off the rust, rather than a team that was a complete bust. Both teams the Jays faced in the first week were division rivals, the only other team to do so was the Rays. The Sox, Yankees, and Orioles have all had the chance to play outside of the division, which has proven to be as tough as advertised so far.

While the Blue Jays have had productivity offensively, defence and pitching have been slow to produce. These production problems hurt where it counted and paved the way for the 3-4 record the Jays currently possess. On a positive note, the bats have gotten off to a quick start. Reigning MVP Josh Donaldson leads the team with 4 Home Runs, 9 RBI’s, and a .310 Average.

Both Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista too have all contributed within expectation. Additionally, Michael Saunders has performed on par with his Spring numbers, and if he keeps it up, he’s looking at a career year.

Final Takeaway: The Blue Jays looked more rusty than anything this week. The biggest concern appears to be the bullpen, but given the Blue Jays’ depth, it is only a matter of time before a winning combination is found.

Next: First Impression of the Rays

Retooled Rays

Tampa Bay Rays:  2-4

The Blue Jays got an immediate look at the offensive additions the Rays made during the off season, as the two split their opening series.

Corey Dickerson proved to be an immediate thorn in the Jays side, as Steven Souza Jr got off to the best start of his career as well. Since leaving Tropicana Field, the Rays have been less fortunate against the Orioles (I’ll get to them in a bit).

This week there was no middle ground for the Rays: they either raked, or they didn’t. That said, both foes are well known for possessing more powerful offenses, once the Rays leave the AL East it will be interesting to see what their offense can do.

The biggest issue for them so far has been their pitching, the opposite of the 2015 Rays. Both Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi have struggled in their initial appearances. So far the Rays starting rotation has yet to get a win.

Keeping in mind the Rays are working with a four man rotation currently does not make for the best recipe of success.

Final Takeaway: The Rays have retooled their offense, but their rotation has yet to be what it was last year.

Next: The Restocked Red Sox

Rebounding Red Sox

Boston Red Sox:  3-2

The Red Sox have looked like a better team during the course of the first week. Their offense has been coming from the vets and youngsters alike, and there is no doubt that their pitching staff is better.

They began the year by splitting a shortened series with the Indians in Cleveland, before winning the series from the Jays in Toronto. Brock Holt was the unlikely hero for the Red Sox this week after hitting a decisive Grand Slam to help the Red Sox top the Blue Jays on Friday. That being said, the Red Sox managed to score 28 runs in 4 games before being shut out on Sunday, which averages out to an insane 7 runs a game.

The bullpen came in very handy for the Red Sox this week, holding the game long enough for their offense to burst back onto the scene. Their starters didn’t exactly have an electric week, though. Their best start was perhaps Sunday’s by Steven Wright, who tossed 6 and two thirds innings of 2-run ball.

While Staff Ace David Price is someone to watch out for, it has yet to be seen if the rest of the rotation will turn out to be as effective or powerful as Price.

Final Takeaway: The Red Sox have benefited from their talented young core and veterans alike, whether the starting rotation will be able to fill out behind Price remains to be seen.

Next: The Bronx Bombers do just that

Big Birds

Baltimore Orioles:  5-0

The only undefeated team in Major League Baseball, the Orioles have looked good from top to bottom. Not only have they been producing offensively, but the team’s biggest question mark, their starting rotation, has been a revelation in the first week with strong showings from Chris Tillman, Yovani Gallardo, and Ubaldo Jimenez.

Combined with an already dominant relief staff, the Orioles have begun the year firing on all cylinders. Manny Machado‘s 4-4 Sunday has made him the overall leader for Baltimore’s lineup, but new comer Mark Trumbo has helped to cover for Chris Davis‘ slow start.

Next: Rumours: Bautista open to negotiating in-season, shift to 1B?

Their deep bullpen has helped keep the team afloat in many situations, as only once this week did the Orioles win a game by more than 2 runs. The Orioles have yet to really face a major pitching challenge though, they dominated the only real ace they saw, Chris Archer, but he’s not looked like his old self this year. We’ll see how they fare against Price and the other aces of the AL East.

Final Takeaway: While the Orioles are off to the best possible start, they haven’t blown away the competition. They’ve been good, but they haven’t been as good as their record suggests.