"The Blue Jays weren't just starting from scratch when they traded, developed or signed pitchers; they saw the raw talent first. Hyun Jin Ryu was a top end arm who already earned his Cy Young finalist recognition with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019. In Robbie Ray, they saw a pitcher racking up strikeouts, even with his early 7.84 ERA in a shortened 2020 season. Right-hander Alek Manoah came up in the system as a fiery workhorse who was a constant in the Blue Jays' rotation out of the gate."
"Historically speaking, the Blue Jays have only taken on a calculated pitching risk. They picked pitchers who they knew had the stuff and gambled on those who could maximize their upsides. Gausman, Ray and Ryu weren't just nobodies; they each earned some recognition for their talents long before they were on Toronto's radar. Manoah was supposed to be the next pitching success story, and for a short period of time, he was that guy."
The early-to-mid 2020s for the Blue Jays featured multiple pitching redemptions, including Hyun Jin Ryu (AL Cy Young finalist, 2020), Robbie Ray (AL Cy Young winner, 2021), Kevin Gausman (third in 2022), and Alek Manoah (third in 2023). The organization prioritized scouting raw talent when trading, developing, or signing pitchers instead of starting from scratch. The team targeted pitchers with proven stuff and took calculated risks to maximize upside. The Blue Jays emphasized translating past track records into renewed performance and focused on accentuating each pitcher's strengths, especially among starters.
Read at BlueJaysNation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]