Blue Jays should move Aaron Sanchez to the bullpen once and for all

The Toronto Blue Jays need to close the book on Aaron Sanchez as a starter and move him back to the bullpen once and for all.

It is becoming more and more blatantly obvious that Aaron Sanchez and his blister ailment is something that is going to continuously haunt him if he remains in the Blue Jays starting rotation moving forward.

Sanchez has been hounded with finger and blister issues for parts of three seasons as it becomes apparent his fingers cannot handle the rigors of pitching every fifth day for an extended period. The 26-year old may have to swallow a tough pill and come to terms with returning to the bullpen for the betterment of the team.

The hurler began his MLB career pitching out of the bullpen in 2014 and again in the postseason in 2015. In 2014, Sanchez sported a tidy 1.09 earned run average with three saves in 24 relief appearances during his rookie campaign.

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The following season, Sanchez would make 41 appearances including 30 in relief for the postseason-bound Jays. The sophomore would pitch in relief in nine playoff games failing to surrender an earned run.

There is no questioning that Sanchez has the talent and repertoire to be an effective starter, however, that is a moot point if he cannot find a way to remain healthy and on the field. Since the beginning of 2017, Sanchez has made just 40 starts for the Jays and numerous trips to the injured list.

Unfortunately, the Jays are not stacked with starting pitching depth and removing Sanchez completely from the rotation would initially have ramifications but in the long run, the venture could pay off if he can return to his 2015 form.

A healthy Sanchez in the bullpen is better than an injured starter on the injured list. The time has come for the brain trust to make the unpopular decision and remove Sanchez from the rotation once and for all.