The host Toronto Blue Jays will have a different look to their pitching staff when they open a four-game series against the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
On Sunday, the Blue Jays added hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks to their bullpen in a trade that sent two minor-leaguers to the St. Louis Cardinals. Left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu will rejoin the rotation to make his 2023 debut on Tuesday in his return from Tommy John surgery.
The trade for Hicks was announced after the Blue Jays failed to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels, losing 3-2 in 10 innings.
Hicks will boost the Blue Jays’ bullpen after closer Jordan Romano (lower back inflammation) was put on the 15-day injured list on Saturday.
In the trade with St. Louis, Toronto gave up right-handed pitchers Adam Kloffenstein and Sem Robberse, who were both at Double-A New Hampshire.
Hicks had a 3.67 ERA in 40 relief appearances for the Cardinals this season. The right-hander had 59 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings.
Toronto also designated right-hander Mitch White for assignment.
The Orioles won the rubber match of their three-game series with the New York Yankees on Sunday night, cruising to a 9-3 victory.
Baltimore has won five of six games against Toronto this season. The Orioles sit 1 1/2 games in front of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and are 5 1/2 games above the third-place Blue Jays, who are in a wild-card spot.
“I think we’re in a great spot,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I think we’re playing as well as we have. Guys are excited for the next couple of series that are coming up, for sure. I think there’s still an opportunity for us to continue to be more consistent. We’re excited for this, and I think we’re in a great spot.”
With the return of Ryu, the Blue Jays will use a six-man starting rotation, possibly until mid-August.
“I think (a six-man rotation) helps. Any time you get an extra day of rest for the starter, it’s a good thing,” Schneider said. “Once we get through it a time or two, we’ll see where we’re at, how the bullpen responds, things like that. I think it’s awesome this time of year.”
The Blue Jays are scheduled to start right-hander Chris Bassitt (10-5, 3.91 ERA) on Monday. Over five career starts against the Orioles, Bassitt is 3-1 with a 4.55 ERA.
The Orioles are scheduled to start right-hander Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.68). Gibson is 6-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 12 career starts against Toronto.
The Orioles have also made changes to their pitching staff. They selected the contract of right-hander Joey Krehbiel from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and optioned struggling right-hander Tyler Wells to Double-A Bowie.
In his start against the Yankees on Saturday, Wells lasted only 2 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on home runs by Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in the Orioles’ 8-3 loss. It was the third straight start in which Wells did not complete five innings.
In his past three starts, Wells has allowed 11 runs over nine innings.
“We’re hoping that that kind of low-pressure environment (at Bowie), low workload, allows him to then rejoin us and be the Tyler Wells that we saw in the first half,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
In another move, Baltimore designated right-hander Eduard Bazardo for assignment.
–Field Level Media
