Blue Jays Preview 2023

The Toronto Blue Jays enter the 2023 MLB season as 7th favourites to win the World Series according to Bet365. With +900 odds, the Jays are 3rd highest in the American League trailing only the Astros and Yankees.

Blue Jays 40-Man Roster

The Jays roster features a devastating order and top-heavy and predominantly right-handed pitching. While the Blue Jays can likely count on their lineup to provide potent and consistent offence from the likes of Vladdy, Springer, Bo, Kirk and the proven new additions, including 4 of the last 5 MLB hit leaders in Bichette and Merrifield, it’s yet to be discovered what’s to come of the rotation.

While Alek Manoah is classified as a top-tier rotation headliner, and one of only a handful of aces in the game today, the rest of the rotation pales in comparison. After coming 3rd in the 2022 American League Cy Young voting (5 vote points ahead of Shohei Ohtani), Manoah is looking to make starting on opening day for the Blue Jays a regular occurrence. Right behind Alek in the rotation is Kevin Gausman, Gausman has a solid rotation guy over the last two seasons, racking up 26 wins over the two season, with 2.81 and 3.35 ERAs. Nothing to laugh at.

The Jays offseason continued to impress week after week. One of the big signings fans can get amped about is the former Met starting pitcher, Chris Bassit. Bassit has been a stud over the last two campaigns, in 2021 with the Athletics he managed a 12-4 record in 27 starts, 9.1 K/9, 0.86 HR/9, 2.23 BB/9, and a 3.15 ERA. The season after, with the Mets Bassit continued his dominance in the National League with a 15-9 record in 30 starts and a 3.42 ERA.

The bottom of the rotation of Barrios and Kikuchi can make or break the Blue Jays deep in the year or potentially the postseason. If one or both of them can step up and provide what they’re both capable of but yet to prove in Blue. Interesting to see how Ryu’s return will alter the rotation.

_{^{(Photo: Chris O’Meara/Associated Press)}}