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After injuries strike Blue Jays camp, new set of questions emerges – Sportsnet.ca

Published

4 years ago

March 24, 2021

TORONTO – One day after a series of injuries created some unwelcome questions for the Toronto Blue Jays, a different kind of challenge awaited team decision makers.

At this point, there’s little to be done about Kirby Yates, who will likely miss the entire season recovering from Tommy John surgery. But injuries to George Springer (oblique strain) and Robbie Ray (bruised elbow) must be managed carefully in the eight days remaining before the season opener and there appears to be genuine interest in pursuing outside help, too.

On the field, the Blue Jays beat the Yankees 5-0 in a game started by Trent Thornton Wednesday. But behind the scenes, bigger questions loom for the team that spent more on free agents than any of its rivals over the winter. To answer them, coaches and club executives will spend the next week gathering information on various fronts.

Once the Blue Jays have answers to the questions below, their path forward will become much clearer.

Will Springer be ready for the opener?

First up for Springer: a few days of rest. Best-case scenario, that helps and he’s ready to go for opening day.

If not, though, the Blue Jays have a couple of options. One: roster Springer but ease him into action with a start at DH and an early day off. Or two: place him on the injured list.

It’s far from ideal, and certainly not what anyone envisioned when Springer landed the largest contract in franchise history, but that six-year, $150-million deal makes the 31-year-old a core player for this franchise. Pushing him to his physical limits in March of the first year of the deal isn’t exactly ideal, either.

If the Blue Jays were to open the season with Springer on the IL, he’d be able to come back after just six games. Teams can backdate 10-day IL stints to March 29 and the Blue Jays have an early-season off day, so Springer could be eligible as soon as the third series of the season if needed.

In that scenario, they’d have a more-than-capable starting outfield of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez and might carry an additional outfielder like Jonathan Davis for depth. Alternatively, Breyvic Valera or Josh Palacios could get looks for that outfield role, but it all comes down to how Springer progresses.

Will Ray be ready for the first week?

If Ray progresses as expected, he’ll be part of the Blue Jays’ season-opening rotation. If not, manager Charlie Montoyo could ask Anthony Kay, T.J. Zeuch or Thornton to make a start, but of course that has a chance to impact the team’s big-league bullpen and minor-league depth.

Asked Wednesday whether he’d rather pitch out of the MLB bullpen or stretch out for a potential starting role without the benefit of a big-league roster spot, Thornton was clear.

“I want to pitch in the big-leagues,” he said. “Without a doubt. No hesitation. Whatever the team needs, I just want to help the team win. Obviously, I’d love to be a starter, but I just want to pitch in the big leagues. It finally feels so good to get back out on the mound and compete, feel that adrenaline. So yeah, it’s pretty easy to answer.”

As the Blue Jays build their pitching staff, they’ll need capable big-league arms to help them through an early season stretch of 16 consecutive games. That likely means a nine-man bullpen at times. But some of those pitchers will have to be stretched out to ensure a layer of starting depth exists behind the big-league rotation.

What’s out there in trades?

Even before the injuries to Yates, Nate Pearson and Thomas Hatch, the Blue Jays’ pitching staff could have benefitted from addition depth. Now, that need is more pronounced and the Blue Jays will explore ways of raising the floor and ceiling of their pitching staff, according to GM Ross Atkins.

“(We) need to factor this in and consider if we need to be more aggressive as it relates to acquisitions before the trade deadline,” Atkins said Tuesday. “We’ve been working on that. We’ll revisit that in a more assertive way.”

Many veteran pitchers have contract outs this time of year, and out-of-options players can be available in trades. Regardless of where it comes from, there’s certainly a need for reinforcements.

In the meantime, there’s opportunity for the likes of Anthony Castro, who pitched another scoreless inning Wednesday while improving his Grapefruit League strikeout to walk ratio to 13:1.

“He’s in the conversation,” Montoyo said. “He’s been outstanding.”

How do the Blue Jays manage their 40-man roster?

Lost in the injury news is the question of which catchers are on the Blue Jays roster. If Alejandro Kirk’s strong spring performance has earned him a spot on the team, that means exposing Reese McGuire to waivers. There’s some risk in that, but depending on the answers to the questions above, the Blue Jays may actually need to open multiple 40-man spots.

Here’s how it breaks down. At present, their 40-man is full, but they’ll free up one spot easily when they transfer Yates to the 60-day IL. Yet all of Joe Panik, Francisco Liriano, Tim Mayza and A.J. Cole would require roster spots if added, meaning countermoves would be needed.

Simply put, the more non-roster players the Blue Jays want to carry, the more room they have to make elsewhere.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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