Blue Jays: Will they employ a closer by committee approach in 2021?
Who will the Toronto Blue Jays look to close out games in 2021 or will they employ a closer by committee approach moving forward?
The Blue Jays will no longer have closer, Ken Giles, in the fold as the hurler not only underwent Tommy John surgery last season but he is also a free agent. So Giles is definitely out of the question for 2021.
So the question becomes, will manager Charlie Montoyo anoint a closer out of spring training, or will the skipper go with a closer by committee depending on the situation and match-ups?
You would have to think the odds on favourite to close out games in 2021 is Jordan Romano, however, Rafael Dolis also did an admirable job in his first season back in the majors since returning from Japan.
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Romano was lights out before injuring a tendon on his throwing hand, the 27-year old posted a 1.23 earned run average in 15 games including two saves. The right-hander also struck out 21 in 14.2 innings of work while appearing to have reinvented his presence on the mound.
Dolis was equally as impressive as Romano, accumulating a tidy 1.50 earned run average with five saves in 24 games. The 32-year old whiffed 31 in 24 innings on the bump and carries a cheap $1.5 million team option for next season.
A.J. Cole could also get a look for a backend of the bullpen position after holding his own in the pen last year. Cole made 24 appearances going 3-0 with a 3.09 earned run average, he also finished seven games earning one save.
Anthony Bass chipped in with seven saves of his own last season but he will test free agency after earning a modest $1.5 million in 2020. Hopefully, the team can resign him as he was a valuable asset out of the bullpen, especially after Giles went down.
The Blue Jays could also add via free agency as the likes of Liam Hendriks, Alex Colome, Mark Melancon, Trevor Rosenthal, Kirby Yates, and Blake Treinen are all available and have previous closer experience.
What do you think the Blue Jays will do in 2021 to close out games, give us your opinion in the comments below.