Blue Jays: Who will step up with Hyun Jin Ryu heading to the injured list?

Anthony Kay

Acquired from the New York Mets as part of the Marcus Stroman trade, Anthony Kay is another potential option that has seen limited action this season while riding the options bus between the roster and the alternate training site.

Left off the Opening Day roster to continue being stretched out as a starter, Kay has started one game for the Blue Jays this season, going 3.1 innings against the Kansas City Royals on April 15th. He would finish the game with a 10.80 ERA and would give up four earned runs with three strikeouts with his numbers being inflated due to some shaky defence and some well-timed hits by the Royals batters.

Kay is currently at the alternate training site continuing to be stretched out as a starter, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the left-hander gets called upon over the next week to make a spot start or two. While he hasn’t been able to secure a full-time rotation spot since joining the Jays organization, Kay can be a useful option on the active roster whether it be as a starter or as a long man in the bullpen (if Charlie Montoyo chooses to go with Milone or Thornton as a starter).

Jeremy Beasley

The most recent addition to the Blue Jays roster, Jeremy Beasley joined the organization just over a week ago after being designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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While the Georgia native has only pitched 0.1 innings in the major leagues, Beasley does have 43 starts under his belt at the minor league level and could be a useful option for Montoyo if he wants to use him for one or two quick starts over the next week. Beasley is also on the 40-man roster and has all three minor league options, meaning he can be shuffled between the alternate site and the roster without losing him to waivers.

Tanner Roark

The diesel engine himself, Tanner Roark started the season in the rotation before being moved to the bullpen after giving up five earned runs and three home runs over 3.0 innings. He currently sports a 6.43 ERA over three appearances and 7.0 innings and has been extensively used as a starter during his eleven-year career.

While fans may not be too keen on having Roark start, the fact of the matter is that he is one of the most experienced arms that isn’t on the injured list. He has struggled since joining the Blue Jays last year but when he is pitching well, he can provide solid and dependable outings while also pitching deep into games when the fastball is staying low and the home runs are limited.

Roark is currently on the Family Medical Emergency List and is not with the Blue Jays at the moment. Hopefully, everything is ok with the Roark family, and wishing him all the best during this time.