Ten of Major League Baseball's top 25 hitters by 2020 OPS were in the American League East — four of those 10 were left-handed. From Brandon Lowe to Alex Verdugo (and even Chris Davis on a good day) getting lefties out is mandatory for success in the AL East. While Rafael Dolis and Jordan Romano seem destined to man the backend of the Blue Jays bullpen this year, the success of the unit may fall on the southpaws.
The Guy:
Ryan Borucki reached back for a little extra in his first spring training at-bat on March 28. After a called strike and foul tip, Borucki painted his third pitch to Nomar Mazara just off the insider corner — a 98.3 MPH swinging strike. Borucki has appeared in just five spring training games this year fighting a mild hamstring injury, but he has not looked hurt. Borucki has flashed a few extra miles per hour on his sinker and has struck out over a third of his batters faced.
The 26-year-old was a revelation in the bullpen last year, posting a 2.7 ERA and striking out 11.3 batters per nine. While he struggled with walks, allowing 6.5 free passes per-nine, he will be Toronto’s go-to lefty in 2021.
Opening in Dunedin and potentially returning to the Buffalo bandbox, Borucki brings a needed asset to Blue Jays pen: limiting homers. Borucki was the second-best pitcher on the 2020 Jays in HR/9 (.54), behind Rafael Dolis, despite holding batters to ground balls just 35% of the time. Borucki allowed just one extra-base hit in 40 PA against LHP last year and will be Charlie Montoyo's first southpaw option this season.
The Camp Battle:
Behind Borucki, Toronto’s LH depth was thin coming into 2021 camp so they brought in two familiar faces to fight for a job. In a battle between lefties who missed 2020, both Tim Mayza and Francisco Liriano have been great in Spring Training — so great that both have a shot at making the team.
Mayza was a staple in the post-playoff modern Blue Jays, posting a 4.67 ERA across 104.0 IP from 2017-2019. In Mayza's best season (3.36 FIP in 2018) he was used largely as a specialist weapon against left-handers — 16 of his 37 appearances were under 1.0 IP, and he allowed just a .233 BA and .575 OPS against lefties. Coming off a Tommy John recovery that cost him the 2020 season, and a spot on the 40-man roster, Mayza will have to adapt to anti-LOOGY rule changes.
Albeit a painfully small sample size, 4.2 of Mayza’s six spring innings have come against RHB, and he has allowed no hits and just one base on balls in those innings. Mayza was, reportedly, told he made the 2020 Blue Jays after his spring outing on March 28. Mayza has not only looked healthy but thrived in spring 2021, posting an average fastball velocity 1-2 MPH higher than his previous norms.
While Mayza won a job on the team, Liriano has not been officially ruled out as a pen option to open the season. He had some beautiful Statcast numbers (seen below) last time we saw him, limiting hard-hit rates, keeping balls in the park, and missing bats. Like Mayza, he allowed no runs in his 7.1 spring innings but he fights an uphill battle as a non-roster invitee. With open 40-man spots going to Mayza and Joe Panik, Liriano would need to take the spot of someone currently on the expanded roster to break camp with the Jays.
The Others:
Travis Bergen
The re-acquired "centrepiece" of the Robbie Ray trade, Bergen pitched himself into MLB consideration in 2021 Spring Training. In just 5.2 IP, Bergen has struck out 11 (ELEVEN) batters, walking only two while allowing six hits. With three option years remaining, Bergen will likely start the year in the minors, but his eyebrow-raising spring may make the Jays more willing to part with Liriano and shuttle Bergen up-and-down from the minors as the third lefty this season.
Kirby Snead
Another non-roster invitee, Snead was left off the 2020 alternate site 60-man roster after he was an AAA International League All Star in 2019. Snead is a fastball/slider pitcher who sits in the lower 90s on the heater and has been a reliever throughout his minor-league career. He struggled in a small 2021 Spring Training sample, walking as many batters as he struck out and allowing three runners to score in seven innings.
Anthony Kay
Kay came into 2021 working on a cutter to add to his fastball/change/curveball mix and has had mixed results. In 13.2 innings starting and coming out of the pen, Kay has posted a 4.61 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 7.9 K/9 this spring. Kay left a late-spring game after taking a comebacker off the leg, but he is expected to be fine. Toronto has shown a willingness to use him out of the bullpen, but he’ll likely join a talented AAA rotation to start the season.
AJ Cole
But wait, AJ Cole isn’t a lefty! Yes, I’m aware. But Cole was used (and was effective) as a weapon against lefties last year. Just under half of his plate appearances were against lefties last year and he allowed just a .139 BA and .522 OPS against the weak side of the platoon (compared to .819 OPS v RHB). While Toronto seems set to carry at least two lefties in 2021, Cole could remain a reliable backup plan if he makes the team,