This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson's Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Finally, we can count down the days until March 27, when the games start to count.
With just over two weeks remaining until Opening Day, these are the questions on fans' minds:
One thing the Jays need to make it back to the big dance? -- @Glassf1Mitchell
The Blue Jays need one more pleasant surprise. Last year, it was George Springer’s resurgence that pushed this lineup over the top. That needs to happen again, but it’s just a question of who.
Addison Barger is a great option. If Barger can hit 30 home runs instead of 21 -- maybe jack that OPS up from the .750 range to the .850 range -- this entire lineup changes. If Kazuma Okamoto can hit the ground running instead of needing the year to adapt to big league pitching, that’s another big help. Jesús Sánchez is probably the wild card here, given his upside, but all the Blue Jays need is one breakout to make this whole thing click.
What's going on with Shane Bieber? -- @uguccioni_p
Slow and steady ... Bieber still hasn’t thrown off a mound, and until he does there won’t be a timeline. For now, Bieber is having some “heavy throw days," but off flat ground. It’s progress, and all of the reports have been positive, but it’s been coming slowly.
When Bieber does get off the mound, he still needs to go through a full Spring Training of his own, which could push six-plus weeks. That means bullpen sessions and rehab starts, potentially beginning in Dunedin and eventually moving to Buffalo. Hopefully, we’ll know more by the time camp ends.
When every pitcher gets healthy, what’s the plan with the pitching? -- @Shuman2100
The best five (or six) will start. If someone’s feelings get hurt, so be it.
Realistically, the right answer is “this will take care of itself," but what if it doesn’t? What if the Blue Jays have eight healthy starters, including Bieber and Eric Lauer? It doesn’t matter if you’re a future Hall of Famer or making $20-plus million per season. The Blue Jays have World Series aspirations and they need to start their best pitchers at the time.
Who do you think is the highest-leverage lefty reliever we've got at the moment? And is that based off last season, or has Spring Training changed your thoughts at all? -- @jakemmfc
Brendon Little had a couple of tough moments in the postseason, but that’s over. There was a lot to like about his regular season and he’s looked excellent in camp, touching 98 mph with a new four-seamer. If he’s in the zone, he can dominate, and he’ll get every opportunity to do so.
Mason Fluharty will make 70-plus appearances if his performance allows, too. However much you think the Blue Jays like Fluharty? Double it. He’s bulked up a bit over the offseason, too, and we could see his stuff tick up a bit.
Is there a market for [José] Berríos if the Jays look to move him? -- @C_Rutsey
There’s been zero indication that the Blue Jays have discussed this with anyone recently, but Berríos, like Lauer, is a good example of how this can change over a spring. A month ago when camp opened, there were questions about Berríos’ ability to bounce back. Since then, Berríos has proved that his velocity is where it needs to be.
Spring Training is home to bad news, too. As other teams lose pitchers to injuries or disappointing springs, they’ll all be looking at the Blue Jays. Toronto would need to get back a high-end reliever or a position player who could legitimately raise the team’s ceiling, though, for this to make any sense.
What are the chances that [Spencer] Miles, [Angel] Bastardo or both make the Opening Day roster? -- @Karen_Soutar1
Right now? Low.
The Blue Jays’ rotation is already expected to spill over into the bullpen. Lauer likely begins the season there, and whether the Blue Jays open with a six-man rotation or kick one more starter to the ‘pen, that’s one less spot for traditional relievers.
If there are six spots remaining for those “traditional” relievers, let’s consider Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Little and Louis Varland to be 100% locks. Braydon Fisher and Fluharty belong, too. The Blue Jays like Bastardo, but enough to option Fisher or Fluharty? There’s also Tommy Nance, who is out of options.
In a perfect world, the Blue Jays could trade for Bastardo (which would make him a permanent member of the organization, no Rule 5 strings attached), but the Red Sox would surely be thrilled at this point to get him back.