Blue Jays: A quietly well constructed bullpen after all

The best of the rest

With Phelps being on the shelf to start the year after Tommy John surgery, the Blue Jays are going to need more than what I’ve already listed, even if they decide to carry Luciano. Fortunately they should have plenty of options to help them round out the group.

Danny Barnes– The three year Blue Jay veteran was designated for assignment earlier this offseason, but he went unclaimed and will remain in Toronto. He had a rough season in 2018, but he’s shown the ability to perform at the highest level in the past, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a nice bounce back year.

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Joe Biagini– Now that the experiment with Biagini as a starter is finally over, perhaps he can regain some of the value he had as a reliever earlier in his career. He was very good in the role in 2016 as a rookie, pitching to a. 3.06 ERA in 67.2 innings, quickly becoming a fan favourite and earning the trust of then-manager, John Gibbons. He could very well start the year in Buffalo, but Biagini is going to get an opportunity to redeem himself at some point in 2019, and here’s hoping he can find the best version of his abilities when that opportunities comes up.

David Paulino– Another pitcher who could be used as either a starter or reliever, Paulino also arrived in the Roberto Osuna trade with Houston last year. He impressed in short stints with the Blue Jays last year, and is expected to compete for a spot in the bullpen this spring, if they don’t decide to use him as depth in the rotation instead.

Sam Gaviglio– Considering how important he ended up being for last year’s team, I admit that I feel a little bad about how frequently I forget about Gaviglio. The Blue Jays definitely needed the innings he provided last year, as he ended up making 24 starts and another two relief appearances. His 5.31 ERA isn’t pretty, but he was solid early on, and could server as either depth in the rotation again, or as a long man out of the bullpen.

I could continue, but I feel like the names mentioned so far will be the ones that fill out the bullpen by Opening Day. I don’t think that Atkins will sign anyone else, but you never know what can happen in a few weeks before the first pitch, or even early into the season. The bullpen is often the most volatile spot on any MLB roster, and don’t be surprised if we see a bit of a revolving door again in 2019 due to injuries, performance, roster space needs, and eventually the trade market.

The good news though, is that the group that Atkins and company have assembled isn’t half bad at all. If we’re talking about a bullpen that eventually features Giles, Tepera, Mayza, Phelps, Norris, Richard, and Axford, I can see some real potential there, at least until the trade deadline comes along anyway. As much fun as it is to pick on the Blue Jays’ front office, they quietly did a decent job here.