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Blue Jays’ Walker unsurprised by starting rotation’s early success
The Toronto Blue Jays find themselves at the top of the AL East, a position that would have been tough to envision but the team’s starting rotation has put them in a strong position.
The Toronto Blue Jays are at the top of the AL East, a position that would have been tough to envision considering their question marks coming into the season.
However, the team is 8-6, and a lot of credit should go to the pitching staff, more specifically, the starting rotation, which has been off to a historic pace.
As Sportsnet Stats noted after Wednesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, the rotation has a 2.48 ERA, which is the lowest in franchise history through 14 games. It is also the best mark among starting rotations in the American League.
Unfortunately, some inconsistent outings from the bullpen have led to a collective 4.47 ERA, but fortunately, the rotation has helped alleviate the pressure on the relievers early on.
While some people might be surprised by how the pitching staff has found success early on, pitching coach Pete Walker explained during an appearance on Sportsnet 590’s Blair and Barker why he isn’t one of them.
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Blair & Barker
Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker talk all things Blue Jays and MLB. Airing live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 360 and available on demand wherever you get your podcasts.
“They’re prepared,” Walker told Blair and Barker. “I could sense it in spring training. The veteran guys knew what was at stake and they have really risen to the occasion so far. It’s rubbing off on every pitcher on that staff.”
As is the case early on in the MLB season, colder conditions add some challenges for players, especially on this current road trip, which has had its fair share of cold and damp conditions.
For Walker, the team is always concerned about injuries which tend to pop up more during cold-weather games.
“It’s really important for these guys to stay loose between innings to be prepared mentally and make sure they’re not feeling anything unusual,” Walker explained. “They’re not great conditions to be throwing a baseball 80 to 100 times in, but hey, it’s part of the game.
“One thing we talked about was that this is going to get us ready for the post-season because, certainly, we could be pitching in this kind of weather late, so that’s how we’re treating it.”
Walker believes in Lucas’ upside
A big surprise for the rotation has been Easton Lucas stepping in during Max Scherzer’s absence while he deals with a nagging thumb injury. In two starts, Lucas has won both, allowing no runs and has recorded 11 strikeouts in 10.1 innings after posting a 10.80 ERA through 11.2 innings last season in the majors.
The 28-year-old is just the fourth Blue Jays starter in franchise history to have back-to-back starts of five or more innings having allowed no runs, zero extra-base hits and allowing four or fewer baserunners.
In Walker’s eyes, what’s changed for Lucas has a lot to do with his mental approach. He hopes that he can continue to build some consistency for as long as the team needs him in the rotation.
“We’ve always liked his arm, and I certainly could see it during his appearances last year and then watching him in spring training. It was just a matter of him gaining confidence,” Walker said. “Corraling his stuff a little, repeating his delivery a bit, not trying to throw too hard too early, and just letting it happen late like some of the other guys on the staff.
“If he can continue to do that, he can be really effective. I think he’s a real, untapped so to speak. He’s great at the major league level and I think he’s someone that really is intriguing and has a lot of upside and just hasn’t reached it.”
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Gausman’s turnaround after tough start in 2024
Kevin Gausman couldn’t have asked for a better start to his season, considering how 2024 went for the veteran.
Through his first three starts, he is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and a 0.62 WHIP in 19.1 innings. He is coming off a dominant outing against the Red Sox, in which he went eight innings, allowing just one unearned run on four hits, no walks, and 10 strikeouts.
In 2024, he made 31 starts, posting a 14–11 record with a 3.83 ERA across 181 innings pitched, with 162 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.22. His strikeout rate in 2024 was 21.4 per cent, which was his lowest since 2018, while his walk rate increased to 7.4 per cent, which was his highest since 2017.
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Walker was asked specifically about Gausman’s split-finger and what the end goal is for the pitch, considering it’s crucial to the veteran’s arsenal.
“When he has the freedom to just let it rip in the zone, he doesn’t have to be fine with it,” Walker explained. “He’s definitely commanded his fastball better, he’s got more velocity than he had last year at this time, and that’s huge for him.
“When he has his velocity, it seems like it affects his split-finger in the right manner where it carries the zone a little more. We are trying to get a little more depth to his split … and he seems to be on a mission, which is great.”
