Will Blue Jays manager John Schneider manage his bullpen the same way with the pennant on the line?
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Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider will have some tough choices in regards to his bullpen with the season on the line Sunday.
John Schneider indicated to reporters that everyone on the pitching staff who is «physically available» will be able to pitch tonight.
That likely rules out Kevin Gausman after he pitched 5 2/3 innings of work Friday, but could mean that every other pitcher on the roster is available.
If the Blue Jays learned anything from game 4, it's to not count out Mad Max.
Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer will be available for tonight's game after his 87-pitch start in Game 4 of the series on Thursday.
John Schneider says everyone will be available in Game 6, Max Scherzer included.
«We're trying to win one game in a row. We've done that 99 times this year.» #BlueJays
«We're trying to win one game in a row. We've done that 99 times this year.» #BlueJays
«You'll see some guys that you normally haven't seen in the bullpen and you try to pick the right spots for them,» Schneider said. «We want to try to operate as normal as possible, but if situations pop up, I think everyone will be available.»
Facing elimination, the Blue Jays are turning once again to rookie starter Trey Yesavage, and their bullpen deployment is going to hinge on the 22-year-old's performance.
Trey Yesavage says he was speaking to Kevin Gausman recently and asked him how deep he's gone in the postseason and Gausman told him this is it.
«This opportunity does not come up very often I'm very blessed to be in the situation.»
If he dominates like he did against the Yankees in the AL Division Series, the Blue Jays want him on the mound as long as possible.
If the Mariners' approach looks like it did in Game 2, laying off Yesavage's splitter and taking advantage of mistake pitches, he could be facing a quick hook.
«Read the swings they're taking,» Schneider said of how to manage the starter. «You got to see how the game unfolds a little bit. It's not going to be a set script or anything like that. I think that in games that you have to win, you may be a little bit more aggressive, but at the same time, don't want to deviate too much from what we've been doing.»
Blue Jays bullpen will only be as good as John Schneider manages it
What Schneider can count on is that he'll need his relievers to step up behind Yesavage, no matter what inning those gates in right field swing open.
Toronto's bullpen, inconsistent all season, has a 6.57 ERA this postseason, worst among teams in the playoff field with at least three games played.
In the regular season, the Blue Jays' 3.98 bullpen ERA ranked 16th in MLB.
Using Scherzer and Shane Bieber out of the bullpen in game 6 would be a risky move for the Blue Jays, as it would leave them without anyone to start in Game 7 of the series on Monday if they make it that far.
Of course, saving an arm for Game 7 would do little for the Blue Jays if they were to get eliminated in Game 6.
In a win-or-go-home game, it's sensible to win that tonight's game at all costs and worry about the consequences of that later.
That's the plan the Mariners used in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Tigers, when they used George Kirby, Gilbert, and Luis Castillo in a 15-inning affair to leave them with no option but to start Bryce Miller in Game 1 of the ALCS against Toronto.
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OCTOBRE 19 | 428 ANSWERS Will Blue Jays manager John Schneider manage his bullpen the same way with the pennant on the line? Do you think Blue Jays manager John Schneider will go all out and use every available weapon out of his bullpen in Game 6? | ||
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