Injury cuts Blue Jays debut short for prominent offseason acquisition

This was the last thing the Toronto Blue Jays needed to begin the season. Starting pitcher Cody Ponce was injured in the third inning of Monday (Mar. 30) night's game against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander came off the mound and chased a ball that was rolling toward second base. As he bent down to pick up the ball, he came up limping and eventually collapsed on the dirt between first and second, visibly in pain.

He was eventually able to stand up, but was carted off the field. Later in the broadcast, Hazel Mae told Sportsnet viewers that Ponce was diagnosed with right knee discomfort. It could be a big blow for the Blue Jays if Ponce has to be out for a significant amount of time.

Blue Jays starting pitching depth could be tested if Ponce misses significant time

Ponce was slated as the number four starter in the rotation, a role he deserves based on his impressive MVP season in the KBO a year ago. But it was also his spot to lose, more or less, based on the other injuries that popped up before and during Spring Training. On the very first day of training camp, the Blue Jays divulged that Shane Bieber was going to be ramping up slower than the rest of the staff as he was dealing with elbow fatigue.

Then José Berrios was put on the shelf with a stress fracture and Trey Yesavage wasn't going to be heading north out of camp either as he sorts through a shoulder impingement. Regardless of these three injuries, the Blue Jays felt confident in their starting five since that meant that Ponce would get one of those slots, as well as Eric Lauer, who started 15 games for the Blue Jays a year ago, and Max Scherzer, signed as a free agent as camp was already underway.

Between those three and top of the rotation arms in Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease, the Blue Jays had a solid group to begin the season, knowing that decisions would eventually have to be made whenever one of those first three guys was healthy enough to rejoin the team. But those decisions may have come sooner than anticipated with the Ponce injury.

Should Ponce be out for a significant amount of time, the Blue Jays don't have a ton of depth options right now in Triple-A. Maybe Adam Macko, who had a nice showing with Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic, can come up and make a spot start or two. Lazaro Estrada is another arm who is already on the 40-man roster but at this point isn't looked at as a long-term solution for a starters role at the MLB level. Lastly, the Blue Jays picked up Chase Lee, a reliever, from the Detroit Tigers in the offseason, and Lee is a guy who can pitch two innings, maybe three if needed - so he could be an option as an opener.

The Blue Jays also have a nice wrinkle in their schedule that would allow them to go with a four-man rotation for the first few weeks. They have an off-day on Friday (Apr. 3) followed by four games between Apr. 4-8 and then another off-day. That precedes a three game set at home against the Minnesota Twins, and then another off-day on Apr. 13, before a nine game road trip. But over the first four games of that road trip, the rotation could stay the same.

The Blue Jays could line up their rotation four man rotation as follows, while each guy still pitches every fifth day.

On Apr. 18, the Blue Jays could elect to go to Lauer again, but that would mean he would be pitching on four days rest, and that wouldn't be ideal just a month into the season, but this is something the Blue Jays have done in years past. Although, by the time April 18 rolls around, one of Yesavage, Berrios or Bieber may be ready to return. Or perhaps Macko or Estrada shows that they deserve a big league call up.

Regardless of what happens, the Blue Jays don't have to panic about their rotation just yet. Despite the injuries, their depth and their schedule are still currently in their favour.