"The bullpen struggled mightily last year when overused, a situation that arose due to injured and ineffective starting pitching. The 2026 squad doesn't seem to have the latter issue, but it certainly has the former—are they running the risk of over-taxing their arms?"
"Wednesday's 2-1 loss in extra innings against those same Rockies saw Jeff Hoffman, Mason Fluharty, and Tyler Rogers all pitch for the fourth time this year already. The core relievers have been extremely busy thus far, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon."
"The team does have some starting options available in the minor leagues, and they called up Lazaro Estrada to give the club some insurance in that regard, but it's a risky move given the lack of experience."
The Toronto Blue Jays have already used more pitchers than expected in the early season due to injuries among their starting rotation. Key pitchers like Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berríos are on the injured list, leading to a heavy reliance on the bullpen. In a recent game, the bullpen had to cover 7 2/3 innings, highlighting the strain on core relievers. The team has called up Lazaro Estrada from the minors for additional support, but this decision carries risks due to his inexperience.
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