Toronto Blue Jays: Taking a look at where all the 2019 starters are now

The Toronto Blue Jays utilized over 21 different players to start games throughot the 2019 season, using the ‘opener’ strategy on multiple occasions, and letting some of the younger prospects make some starts when rosters expanded in September. Here we take a look at where all of those pitchers are to begin the 2020 season in spring training.

The Blue Jays will enter the 2020 campaign with a lot more talent, and far more certainty in their starting rotation than they had last year. It was a rebuilding year, but the Blue Jays ended up using 21 different starters, in what had to be a long season for Charlie Montoyo. Let’s have a look at where those pitchers will be in 2020, and wha they might be up to.

*Pitchers who started games for the Toronto Blue Jays will be organized by the number of games they started, going from most to least*

Trent Thornton 

ERA: 4.84     Record: 6-9     IP: 154.1     WHIP: 1.406     bWAR: 1.8    GS: 29 of 32 appearances

Acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2018/2019 off-season, Trent Thornton would pitch the most innings and start the most games out of all Blue Jays pitchers for the 2019 season. He would make the opening day roster and would start games until the end of the season, later switching to following the opener when rosters expanded.

Thornton stats were solid given his first year in the MLB, and he is currently in the mix for the 5th spot in the Blue Jays rotation to begin the 2020 season. He was the workhorse/innings eater the Blue Jays needed in 2019, and he stands a very good chance of snagging the last spot in the rotation.

Aaron Sanchez

Blue Jays: ERA: 6.07     Record: 3-14     IP: 112.2     WHIP: 1.686     bWAR: -0.4    GS: 23 of 23

Aaron Sanchez began the 2019 season in the Blue Jays rotation before being dealt to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline. Sanchez had a strong start to the season, pitching to a 3.75 ERA by the end of May, but the success would taper off and rough outings in June and July would skyrocket his stats, eventually finishing with a 6.07 ERA by early August.

Once traded to the Astros, Sanchez would find some success, taking the start in a combined no-hitter just days after being traded, in his first outing with the new club. The success was unfortunately short-lived, as the California native would be non-tendered by the Astros after the season was over and is still currently a free agent.