The Blue Jays can’t afford to have their rotation continue pitching like this

The Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation hasn't been the rock that everyone thought, or was hoping, it would be this season. If the Blue Jays hope to ever climb above the .500 mark, they're going to need the starters to step up and figure it out.

As of May 16, the starting group has a 4.63 ERA, the fifth-highest in the majors. They've been anything but the stabilizing force the team needs as it tries to chase down the still reachable first-place New York Yankees.

Obviously, the rotation's numbers are influenced by Easton Lucas' spectacular rise and even more spectacular fall. He's back in Triple-A after making four starts for the Blue Jays this year. The relatively inexperienced Bowden Francis hasn't picked up where he left off last season, with a 5.40 ERA through eight starts.

Toronto has also had a forgettable one-inning contribution from Yariel Rodríguez, and, most recently, José Ureña. Ureña, who the team signed two weeks ago, has a 4.26 ERA over his first two starts as a Blue Jay.

But those aren't the names that the Blue Jays were relying on to do the heavy lifting this season. The veteran starters simply haven't been good — or consistent — enough.

Blue Jays need veteran starters to step up and lead the rotation

The ongoing Max Scherzer circus aside, veterans Chris Bassitt, José Berríos and Kevin Gausman have struggled to contribute consistently.

Bassitt, 36, has been the best of the bunch overall, at 3-2 with a 3.16 ERA. He got off to an impressive start, with a 0.77 ERA after his first four starts. However, the right-hander just emerged from a dreadful four-game stretch during which he gave up 15 earned runs in 22 1/3 innings (6.04 ERA).

Berríos, 30, is 1-1 with a 4.33 ERA, his highest since his disastrous 2022 season. He has put together some decent results, holding opponents to three or fewer runs in six of his nine starts. But as his 1.42 WHIP shows how much of a struggle this year has been for him. He's giving up too many hits and an uncharacteristically high number of walks (4.15 BB/9). From 2021-'24, Berríos posted a 1.20 WHIP and 2.36 BB/9.

Gausman, now 34, isn't the same pitcher he was in his first two seasons in Toronto. The fan favorite has dazzled us with a couple of vintage performances this year, but the rest of his starts have varied anywhere from mediocre to downright horrible.

After his most recent start on Thursday, which ended in an 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, Gausman is 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA through nine starts. He had a 3.45 ERA over his first three seasons with the Blue Jays. The right-hander summed up his outing, and his season, fairly succinctly following the game, per Sportsnet's Shi Davidi.

“Obviously not a very good day for me, but kind of crazy on the hardest hit ball, I got the guy out," Gausman said, per Davidi. "That's kind of where I'm at right now. I'm not being consistent. I need to be better.”

The fourth-year Blue Jay gave up six earned runs on 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings. While he struck out six and didn't issue a walk, Rays hitters tagged him for three home runs on a day that the ball was flying around the open-domed ballpark.

The home run has been a problem for the Blue Jays' rotation. Heading into Friday's action, Toronto starters had surrendered the most home runs in baseball (44). That issue will likely only get more problematic as the weather heats up and, at home, the roof is open more often.

With Scherzer's future looking like a massive question mark — and minimal help on the horizon — looks like it's up to the assembled veterans to right the ship and get the Blue Jays' rotation back on track.