Blue Jays’ Spencer Turnbull strikes out four in start with single-A Dunedin
Spencer Turnbull officially began his time in the Toronto Blue Jays organization on Thursday night.
Spencer Turnbull officially began his time in the Toronto Blue Jays organization on Thursday night.
Turnbull made his first start in the minor leagues since signing a one-year deal with Toronto earlier this month. The 32-year-old worked 4.0 innings of one-run ball for the single-A Dunedin Blue Jays, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out four.
Signed to reinforce Toronto’s starting pitching depth, Turnbull is working back to a major-league workload after finishing 2024 on the injured list with a lat strain and failing to latch with a team as spring training opened.
Turnbull posted a 2.65 ERA over 54.1 innings for the Philadelphia Phillies last season, posting career bests in strikeout rate, batting average against and WHIP.
On Thursday, he averaged 90.2 m.p.h. with his fastball and topped out at 92.5 with his sinker. He was averaging around two m.p.h. slower with both offerings than he did last year when healthy with the Phillies. A little bit of a velocity drop can be expected, however, as he continues to build back into game shape.
Of the 54 pitches he threw while facing the Bradenton Marauders, 17 were sweepers, an offering he added to his arsenal last season to great success.
The Blue Jays are in extra need of some depth at the high minors after it was announced that top prospect Jake Bloss will need to undergo UCL surgery earlier this week.
