Bowden Francis is in ELITE company

It's what he has done with those starts that is remarkable.

His no-hit bids at the end of last year instantly became the stuff of legend, a trait that continued into this year. But there is another quality that places Francis in the Blue Jays record books. His ERA.

Throughout his first 17 career starts, Bowden Francis has an ERA on 2.97. That is second lowest all-time in Blue Jays history through that many starts. But not by much. The lowest is 2.96. The owner of that latter number? Blue Jays legend Juan Guzman.

Anytime you can be in company with Guzman, you're doing something right. The right-hander was a member of both World Series winning teams, an All-Star in 1992, the anchor of the 1993 pitching rotation, and the AL ERA leader in 1996.

Now, Francis could join him - or even catch - on the all-time Franchise leader board.

And about those no-hit bids? The only other Blue Jays pitchers to have multiple no-hit bids of eight innings or more? The GOAT himself Dave Stieb and Marco Estrada, who did it in consecutive starts. But Francis did that in his first 11 career starts.

The Blue Jays don't need, or expect, Francis to be Dave Stieb, or even Guzman. But if he keeps doing what he is doing, he could be a member of this rotation for the next several years.