Blue Jays brain trust owe it to the players to add another starter

The upstart Toronto Blue Jays were handed an unfortunate blow when they lost Matt Shoemaker for the entire 2019 campaign, however, Ross Atkins and company owe it to the players to add another starter for the remainder of the season.

The Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last ten games and are 2-0 since the infusion of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. into their lineup. The team sits in third place in the American League East just 4.5 games out of first place.

The team is playing a Tampa Bay Rays-esque style of fundamentally sound ball and must look outside the organization to add a fifth starter. Baseball is a funny sport and anything can happen over a 162-game schedule especially with the swagger and confidence the squad currently has.

Atkins needs to show faith in this group and do his best to add another hurler who can help the team win ball games. If Atkins has to trade from his surplus of second-tier prospects than so be it.

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A Tanner Roark style pitcher from the Cincinnati Reds could adequately replace the void left from the Shoemaker injury. The 32-year old Roark is 1-1 with a 3.24 earned run average in five starts this season and is owed $10 million for the 2019 season before becoming a free agent.

The Giants may look to move Drew Pomeranz if they continue to rent the basement of the NL West in the coming weeks. Pomeranz signed with the Giants this offseason for $1.5 million and currently sports a 3.65 earned run average with more than a strikeout an inning in five starts.

The internal options are extremely thin as manager Charlie Montoyo prefers to keep Sam Gaviglio and Thomas Pannone in the bullpen. Both have been exceptional in long relief duties for the Blue Jays thus far this season especially Gaviglio. Sean Reid-Foley has been decimated in Triple-A since his demotion which possibly could leave Jacob Waguespack as the next internal option on the depth chart.

Due to the Blue Jays off-days they won’t require a fifth starter until the second week of May, therefore, Atkins has some time to make something happen on the trade front. Regardless, he owes it to the players to acquire the best possible replacement to help this team win ball games.