MLB: The Five Best Pitching Staffs Post-Deadline
By Ron Juckett
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Would you have guessed the Toronto Blue Jays lead the American League in ERA at 3.71? It’s true.
With two months to put away the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox to win the AL East, the Blue Jays are in prime shape to avoid the Wild Card game. They dumped Drew Storen to the Seattle Mariners for reliever Joaquin Benoit and flipped Drew Hutchison to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Francisco Liriano. Both pitchers offer veteran depth for low cost.
As the O’s and Sox are inconsistent in pitching, Toronto can paper over the weaknesses of R.A. Dickey and Brett Cecil and focus on four strong starters and the emergence of Roberto Osuna as a legitimate closer. J.A. Happ is a 15-game winner already. Aaron Sanchez, all of 23, is 11-2 with a 2.85 ERA. Marco Estrada allows a historically thrifty 5.8 hits-per-9. If they can get there, the Blue Jays have enough weapons and experience to go far.
Jason Grilli and Joe Biagini can get the game to Osuna with the lead intact.
The good news is their new players cost them little. On the other side, both Baltimore and Boston can out slug anybody. Although Toronto can pitch, it may not be enough to hold off a fully productive offense elsewhere.
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