On Friday afternoon, the Blue Jays made yet another roster move, placing left-handed pitcher Jaime Garcia on the 10-day DL.
According to a team announcement, the Blue Jays have placed left-handed starting pitcher Jaime Garcia on the 10-day DL with what is being described as left shoulder inflammation. Deck McGuire, who was recently sent down, re-joins the team as they continue their series against Oakland. The move is retroactive to Saturday, May 16th.
As I recently wrote, Garcia has been struggling so far this season, posting a 6.28 ERA in eight starts. As of Friday, his WHIP stands at 1.655 and he has a record of 2-3.
McGuire, on the other hand, has been quite successful at Triple-A Buffalo. In 30.0 innings as a starter, the big righty has posted a 2.70 ERA, striking out 27 and walking 12. In limited action with the big club, he’s pitched 3.1 frames with an 8.10 ERA, striking out three and walking one.
At this point, no one can truly assess the legitimacy of Garcia’s injury. Regardless, it’s not good to see another starter on the shelf, seeing as the team just lost Marcus Stroman to a similar injury.
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McGuire is not only the most logical choice to be called up but is also one of the more versatile choices. Even though he’s spent his only big league time this year as a reliever, he’s an option to fill in as a starter, pitching excellently as a starter in the minors.
Currently, Joe Biagini and Sam Gaviglio appear to be getting the ball on Saturday and Sunday. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet notes that neither of them are listed in the bullpen on Friday night’s lineup card.
All in all, it’s disappointing to see Garcia get hurt. While he really wasn’t pitching all that great, turning to a spot starter is never ideal, especially when winning games is paramount. Right now, the Blue Jays need to do everything in their power to win games. The fan base is losing patience and the team is scuffling at an unprecedented pace.