The Toronto Blue Jays added depth to their pitching staff this offseason, so manager John Gibbons will have some decisions to make. The No. 5 spot in the rotation will be one of those decisions as Aaron Sanchez, Jesse Chavez and Dew Hutchison will compete for that job during spring training.
Hutchison has been a mainstay in the rotation over the past two seasons, having logged 62 starts over that span, but he lost his job late last year due to a 5.57 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. The Jays were hoping he'd build off his 2014 campaign (11-13, 4.48 ERA), but he took an even bigger step backwards.
In all likelihood this battle will come down to Sanchez and Chavez if we are going to look at everyone's most recent performances.
Sanchez began last year in the rotation and made 11 starts but then suffered a lat injury and was moved to the bullpen after his rehab was complete. The decision was said to limit his innings, but the Jays also needed to strengthen the back end of their bullpen, which ended up happening as Sanchez succeeded in the role.
In his 11 starts (66 innings), the 23-year-old went 5-4 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 42 strikeouts compared to a 2-2 record with a 2.39 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 19 strikeouts in 30 relief appearances (26-1/3 innings). However, the right-hander was primarily a starter throughout his minor league career (80 starts in 98 games).
As for Chavez, the right-hander came over in a trade with the Oakland Athletics this offseason. Until 2014, the 32-year-old was used exclusively as a reliever, but the A's moved him into the rotation, and he's made 47 starts over the past two seasons, which has perhaps established his true value in the MLB.
Chavez owns a 5.02 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 217 strikeouts in 204 relief appearances (253 innings) compared to a 4.14 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 256 strikeouts in 49 starts (284-2/3 innings).
Thus far into spring training, none have really made a convincing argument for the No. 5 starter job. Hutchison has given up two earned runs on two hits and a walk over four innings; Sanchez has surrendered one earned run on three hits and a walk over two innings; and Chavez has walked three batters and allowed one hit in four innings of work. (Although Chavez's stats look good, three walks in four innings is a bit of a concern, and the one hit he gave up was a solo homer to Astros first baseman Jon Singleton).
For the sake of the Blue Jays, it could be best for them to go with Chavez in the rotation (since that's where he's most effective as a pitcher) and Sanchez in the bullpen (because he was so successful in that role last year and will further help cope with the losses of Liam Hendriks and Mark Lowe).
One thing we know for sure is that Gibbons is in no rush to name someone to that job, so it'll be a long battle throughout the spring.
"As the spring goes along, I mean, we'll have our ideas, but I think that's something that probably goes down to the end," he said. "In fairness to all of them, really."
I'd be keeping my eye on the competition between Chavez and Sanchez, as it's most likely it'll come down to those two.
