For most of April, the Blue Jays were scrambling to find healthy starters. If they could pitch effectively, then that was a bonus.

As Toronto’s injury woes begin to move back in a healthier direction, though, the Blue Jays soon will have the luxury of building their rotation based on performance and potential alone, no longer having to worry about patching together the next day. Ross Stripling, who started in Friday’s 10-4 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park, will be right in the middle of that evolving picture.

• Box score

Stripling allowed three runs over 3 2/3 innings, which included six hits, three walks and a Carlos Correa home run. On Stripling’s side of this, the Blue Jays are now looking at a 6.61 ERA over the right-hander’s first four starts. Stripling missed some time with a right forearm injury that he credited to throwing too many sliders early in the season, but regardless, these numbers don’t match his career norms.

“They made me work. I wasn’t sharp,” Stripling said, “and I got into a lot of 3-2 counts. I just challenged guys, like those two [Yuli] Gurriel at-bats, both 3-2, I challenged him and he just hits a single the other way. They really made me work in that inning. The outing in general, heck, I threw 80 pitches in 3 2/3. Not a lot to build off in this one, really. Short memory, and I’ll get after it in the next one.”

Stripling’s curveball was getting across for strikes, but it wasn’t setting up other pitches how he’d like. His slider was missing by a bit, he felt, while his fastball was missing by more dangerous margins, drifting up and out over the plate.

“Everything has got to get a little bit sharper if I expect to have success and keep my job as a starter in the big leagues,” Stripling said.

With the Dodgers, Stripling pitched to a 3.68 ERA over five seasons, swinging between the rotation and bullpen with success in each spot. His numbers were stronger in the bullpen (3.26 ERA) than the rotation (4.11 ERA), but he has a track record of getting it done at the Major League level. That ERA has started to climb since the beginning of 2020, though, and given Stripling’s ability to fill so many roles, his rotation spot is up for competition as May stretches on.

“He’ll be the first one to tell you that,” said manager Charlie Montoyo, “but we believe in him. That’s why we’ve got him starting, because we know he can do it. He just hasn’t been as sharp, but he’s got the stuff to be a good starter in the big leagues. Hopefully, his next start will be better than today’s, for sure.”

Behind Hyun Jin Ryu, Robbie Ray, Steven Matz and Stripling, the Blue Jays do have one “open” rotation spot, which is currently being occupied by left-hander Anthony Kay. Beyond Kay, the Blue Jays’ Triple-A rotation will feature options like T.J. Zeuch, Joey Murray and No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson. Now healthy after missing April with a right adductor strain, Pearson struck out eight batters over 3 2/3 innings in his 2021 debut on Wednesday and is ready whenever the phone rings.

The Blue Jays also have No. 6 prospect Alek Manoah, who in Triple-A just keeps pushing the club into decisions. The big right-hander struck out 12 over six shutout innings on Thursday, and while he still needs a good chunk of time in Triple-A to develop -- he’s thrown just 23 innings in the Minor Leagues -- he’s a name to dream on later this summer. Right-hander Thomas Hatch is also working his way back from the 60-day injured list and is expected to be a “full go” when he’s activated.

Dolis the latest injured Blue Jays reliever
Right-hander Rafael Dolis came out for the bottom of the eighth, as he hadn’t pitches since Sunday, and he didn’t look comfortable early. Dolis is always the most deliberate pitcher in this Blue Jays bullpen, but as he began to labor after giving up a pair of runs, the training staff came to the mound with Montoyo and removed Dolis.

Montoyo said following the game that he was experiencing right calf tightness, and an MRI exam will be conducted Saturday morning. The Blue Jays are already without Kirby Yates for the season, Julian Merryweather for the next month-plus and David Phelps for at least the next 10 days. Dolis had been on a roll, but now even more weight falls on right-hander Jordan Romano, who’s already had an IL stint of his own this season.