Relax Blue Jays fans, Our Rotation is Better Than you Think

This could come back to bite me in the ass. So save this article and send it to me if I’m proven wrong. The thing is, I don’t think I’m wrong on this one. The 2021 Blue Jays rotation is going to be better than a lot of people think. I’m not saying it’s going to be a top rotation in the league, but it’s not as bad as a lot of Jays fans are making it out to be.

All I see on twitter is Jays fans talking about how bad this rotation is and how management failed because they didn’t go out and overpay a pitcher like Odorizzi. Let’s just relax for a bit, I understand why some fans are frustrated. Our offence has the potential to be one of the best in the league, if not THE best. Without a solid rotation to back that offence up, it feels like the team is set up to disappoint. But the Jays rotation has the pieces to be solid, and adding someone like Paxton or Odorizzi wouldn’t have changed that. We would’ve just been overpaying for a mediocre 4 or 5 spot pitcher.

We know what we’re getting from Ryu. So we don’t need to spend much time on him, other than to say I love him and am very glad he’s our Ace.

Nate Pearson should be ready to go soon after opening day, and while I’m not expecting a ton of innings from him, I expect the innings he does pitch to be high quality innings. He’s ready to take the next step this year from elite prospect to elite major league starter. I’m pumped to watch him this year, and think he’s going to be a huge part of the rotation. Don’t sleep on Big Nate this year.

Now we get to the spot in the rotation that Jays fans aren’t happy about. A clump of names who will fill out the 3, 4, and 5 spots and the bullpen. Robbie Ray, Steven Matz, Tanner Roark, Anthony Kay, and Ross Stripling. These are the names that make fans think this rotation is going to be bad. Here’s the thing, if these guys pitch like they did last year, then the rotation IS going to be bad. That’s just a fact. Ray, Matz, Roark and Stripling were bad last year. Very bad. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. But will they pitch like they did last year? No, they won’t.

Last year was a weird year. It was a short season with two different spring trainings, and a lot of players struggled and it’s hard to blame them. I’m not putting much stock at all into individual player stats from last year, and that goes for all players in the MLB. Stars struggled, and scrubs played like all-stars. Robbie Ray had the worst year of his career since 2014 with the Tigers. Steven Matz had the worst year of his career. Ross Stripling had the worst year of his career. Tanner Roark had the worst year of his career. You probably see where I’m going with this by now.

I’m willing to bet that at least some of these guys, I’m looking at you Ray, Matz and Stripling, are going to return to previous form and not have the worst year of their career again. Why do I think that? Last year was a weird year where a lot of pitchers struggled. Also, we have Pete Walker. If anyone can help these guys return to form its Pete. I have faith these guys will pitch much better than last season, and all Jays fans should too. And Tanner Roark? Well he just isn’t very good and my hopes aren’t high, but who says that he has to be in the rotation all season? We have more pitching depth than people think and that will come into play throughout the season. Anthony Kay, Hatch, Borucki and Merryweather could all have a shot in the rotation at some point. Or how about Simeon Woods Richardson or Alek Monoah? They project as important pieces of the future, but who says they don’t play a part in the present season?

Look Jays fans, we don’t have a top 5 rotation, but that’s ok. I don’t know what the rotation will look like at the end of the season, but I know it’s going to be much better than people expect, and we didn’t have to overpay a mediocre free agent pitcher to do it. Robbie Ray will return to form, as will Matz. They’ve looked promising in spring training, as has Ross Stripling, a former all-star with the Dodgers who looks to bounce back from last year. Or maybe its Anthony Kay taking the next step and winning a spot in the rotation. Who knows how this rotation will look, but all I’m saying is it is going to be much better than Jays fans think, and if it isn’t, feel free to give me shit for a bad take. But let’s be optimistic for the time being. And hey, we could always make a trade throughout the season...