Toronto Blue Jays DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Toronto Blue Jays rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (back) felt good coming out of his side session in camp on Sunday and is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Friday. Rodriguez is dealing with back spasms in spring training and has yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League game. The 26-year-old Cuban hurler is progressing, but he's unlikely to be ready by Opening Day in late March as the Blue Jays continue to stretch him out for a starting role. Rodriguez is an intriguing arm for the Blue Jays in the long-term, but he didn't pitch with an affiliated club at all in 2023 and is likely to be ramped up in the minors leagues early in 2024 before eventually becoming an option in the big leagues. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues should temper their expectations for Rodriguez, who will turn 27 in March.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (shoulder) played some catch in camp on Monday, and the team will determine a plan for him going forward based on how he feels afterwards. Manoah was scratched from his Grapefruit League start over the weekend due to right-shoulder soreness. It makes the 26-year-old a question mark for the team's Opening Day starting rotation now. Manoah's fantasy value is down considerably after a disastrous 2023 campaign in which he was demoted to the minors twice and also dealt with arm issues. It doesn't help that he's now dealing with a shoulder injury in spring training, which could very well delay the start of his 2024 season. Stay tuned for more updates on Manoa's next step in camp.

Keegan Matheson of MLB.com is reporting that Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will not throw his scheduled bullpen on Monday. The veteran has been dealing with "general shoulder fatigue", but a recent MRI has shown no structural concerns or injury. In other words, the best news the Blue Jays could have hoped for with their veteran ace and former Cy Young candidate. Managers should continue to monitor Gausman, but expect the Blue Jays to be cautious with him this spring. As long as he can stay healthy, Gausman is one of the best pitchers in the game.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt has made two appearances in the Grapefruit League this spring with mixed results. After two scoreless innings of relief in his first outing, Bassitt served up three runs in his most recent performance on Saturday. The veteran got off to a slow start last season, but had a good year overall with a nice 3.60 ERA to go along with 186 k's in 200 innings in 33 starts. His next chance to show off his talent should come in the middle of this week. Entering 2024, Bassitt is a nice 3/4 option for managers as he remains a consistent year-to-year option.

MLB.com's Keegan Matheson suggests that right-hander Bowden Francis feels like the front-runner for the final rotation spot to open the year after posting a 1.73 ERA over 36 1/3 innings last year. "He added the splitter this year, which I think will be good against lefties to go with his heater and curveball," manager John Schneider said. "I think it's just about seeing what his stuff does. We tried to do this a bit last year as camp went on, trying to get him up to 50-60 pitches. His stuff is so good in short spurts, but can you harness that as you get your pitch count up?" Francis' main competition is Mitch White, but the team's No. 13 prospect, right-hander Chad Dallas, could be a dark-horse candidate. Of course, if Alek Manoah (shoulder) isn't ready for the start of the year, both Francis and White could be in the Opening Day rotation.