TORONTO -- The Blue Jays are rolling with a bullpen day as their No. 5 starter, and this time, it’s by choice.
Patrick Corbin has been moved to the bullpen beginning Tuesday night against the Mets, and while this isn’t ‘Plan A’ for the Blue Jays by any means, they feel this is a more viable way to get the rotation and bullpen to the All-Star break, at the very least.
The reasons for the pivot are no secret. Corbin hit a wall in June, posting an 8.69 ERA over 19 2/3 innings. His last four outings all ended before or at 4 1/3 innings, so that spot has essentially been a bullpen day already. This will allow the Blue Jays to be more intentional about how relievers are rolled out, and Corbin could still be part of that plan.
What this means for Wednesday and the No. 5 job:
For now, Wednesday’s finale against the Mets on Canada Day is ‘TBD’, but think of this as being similar to all of those days earlier this season that were filled by “an opener and Spencer Miles.” Braydon Fisher was used a handful of times as an opener and he remains one of the Blue Jays’ best options going forward.
With off-days coming on July 2 and July 9, though, the Blue Jays may be able to use those to eliminate this spot in the rotation a couple of times, leaving a fresher bullpen behind their starters into the All-Star break beginning on July 13.
Max Scherzer’s rehab remains crucial to this puzzle, too. He threw again Tuesday in Toronto and sounds optimistic that a recent shot to alleviate his back issues has worked, so the future Hall of Famer could soon begin to ramp back up for the stretch run. Can Scherzer recapture some of that magic one last time, though, or will we see more of his 6.22 ERA over the past two seasons with the Blue Jays?
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The Trade Deadline is the most obvious answer here, and probably the right one. A legitimate starter is the Blue Jays’ biggest need ahead of Aug. 3, and this organization has been aggressive in that market before. A starter with control beyond 2026 could be particularly attractive, given that Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber and Scherzer are all free agents while José Berríos will still be recovering from Tommy John surgery and Cody Ponce will be returning from ACL surgery.
What this means for Patrick Corbin:
Let’s not forget that Corbin, when he was signed in early April, looked like a veteran who may only be needed for a start or two. He nailed this job early on, posting a 3.65 ERA over his first 10 starts, and still deserves credit for that end of the bargain. Now, the Blue Jays are trying to keep some value alive.
“For one, it limits the times he’s seeing hitters, so he’s not having to try to navigate as deep into a game,” manager John Schneider said. “The pitch count has been high and not putting hitters away has been a thing for him. It’s about fine-tuning where he’s throwing the ball a bit and not having to navigate deeper, really.”
In a perfect world, Corbin could pitch multiple innings and burn through the bottom of a lineup, avoiding having the top of a lineup see him twice.
What this means for Spencer Miles:
Right now, Miles is more of a “multi-inning” reliever than a “bulk” reliever, meaning it’s closer to two innings than four innings. That could swing back in the other direction again, though, with this new opening.
“We’re trying to navigate the best we can with his exact situation, which doesn’t really have any history to it with the lack of innings and things like that,” Schneider said. “I think he could get back up to that [four-inning] range, or use him and Corbin as a piggyback.”
The Blue Jays have other options, including Chad Dallas, Lazaro Estrada and eventually the rehabbing Jake Bloss, but Miles is clearly their top option for this bulk role, given his success already and the flexibility he’s shown.