Blue Jays switching up the pitching plans again, tabbing rookie reliever as opener

The Toronto Blue Jays rotating rotation carousel continues to operate on a "need-to-know" basis. While the team is starting to see some stability through their 1-4 spots, that number five starters' role continues to evolve as the Blue Jays try to give themselves the best chance to win.

On Sunday (May 10) the Blue Jays feel their best chance to beat the LA Angels in the series finale is by starting Spencer Miles, as an opener, before turning to Eric Lauer. The rookie, Miles, has been a pleasant surprise, while the Blue Jays would like to get anything but surprises out of Lauer at this moment.

Blue Jays pitching plan centered around Lauer's ineffectiveness in the first inning

One thing the Blue Jays have learned this year about Lauer is that he struggles in the first inning. He currently has a 7.50 ERA, while hitters have hit .308/.357/.692 against him to open the game. He also hasn't had great success in facing hitters multiple times. The OPS jumps from .796 in the first at-bat against Lauer to .946 in the second time through the order.

He's rarely been allowed to face hitters three times. With only 17 plate appearances this season coming against a hitter the third time in a game, Lauer has essentially been pitching as a "bulk pitcher" this entire season - just at varying points throughout the game, even though only five of his innings pitched this year have come as a "reliever" while he's thrown 26.1 innings as a starter.

Part of the thinking could also be trying to goad the Angels into putting together a lefty-heavy lineup to face Miles, before Lauer comes in. The only problem is, Lauer also hasn't been effective in platoon situations either. Right-handed hitters are hitting .240 with a .766 OPS while lefties are hitting .381 with a 1.147 OPS, although he has only faced 25 left-handed hitters, , he's allowed eight hits against them with two home runs.

The 25-year-old Miles, who was picked up in the Rule 5 Draft this past offseason, has been a welcomed addition to the club in 2026. While he's appeared in only 11 games so far this season, he's worked multiple innings in seven of those appearances. Taking away his second career outing where he had to just grind through 1.2 innings during a 14-5 beatdown at the hands of the Colorado Rockies, the right-handed pitcher has 14 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched, while giving up six runs (four earned), pitching to a 2.35 ERA.

For a player who battled through multiple injuries that kept him to only appearing in 15 games over three seasons, this has already been a tremendous accomplishment for Miles. Also factor in that those 15 games were all at the Single-A level or lower since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 draft by the San Francisco Giants.

He was drafted as a starter, and that could be the Missouri natives long-term outlook, but for the time being he'll look to keep adding to resume in small sample sizes as he becomes more and more trusted in the Blue Jays bullpen.

It's not the way he envisioned it, and it's certainly not the way the Blue Jays had drawn up the plans going into the season, but Miles will get to make his first major league start - even if it is only for an inning or two. But the hope is he can face the top of the Angels order, which includes future Hall of Famer Mike Trout, and get through them unscathed before turning the ball over to Lauer and hoping for the best.

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