Welcome to the first of my week in review of the Toronto Blue Jays. Starting today and every Monday after that, I'll be highlighting three moments that stood out to me as the season progresses.
The first week of Spring Training is in the books, and after the reveal of a fancy new complex, the Blue Jays are getting ready for the regular season.
The Blue Jays finished their first week of play at 4-3 and sitting seventh in the standings with a run differential of plus-6. Not a bad start for a team that'll stay in Dunedin to open the regular season.
As the roster begins to take shape, here are three takeaways on what stood out to me seven games into the Spring.
Robbie Ray starts on the right foot
As the Blue Jays sort out their pitching considering the lack of starting depth, Robbie Ray has begun to turn some heads when it comes to attacking the strike zone.
Ray has a 4.15 ERA through 4.1 innings, allowing two hits and striking out eight. His first outing against the Pirates was a good one considering in two innings; Ray threw 24 strikes in the 26 pitches he threw.
In his next outing against the Tigers, despite walking the first two batters he saw and allowing a run on a double, Ray finished strong, striking out six of his last seven.
When facing the 2020 No.1 Pick Spencer Torkelson, it took Ray seven pitches with his fastball averaging 97.65 MPH.
Since coming into the majors in 2014, Ray's fastball averaged no higher than 95.4 MPH. It may be only two starts into the spring in minimal work, but it's numbers you want to see as Opening Day gets closer.
(via Fangraphs)
Despite the shortened season in 2020, Ray's task is to see his pitches see the zone for strikes and increase his first-pitch percentages. Since 2017, he's seen his aggressiveness on the mound decrease over time and looks to bring his early-career numbers back up.
As Spring Training progresses, this early trend is one to keep an eye on and see if Ray can carry it over to the regular season.
Welcome back, Tim Mayza
It's been a long road for LHP Tim Mayza.
In September 2019, in the 10th inning against the New York Yankees, Mayza threw a pitch and immediately went down, instantly knowing something was wrong.
With a torn UCL, Mayza had to get Tommy John Surgery and was out for the 2020 season, expecting to return in 2021.
Flash forward to today, and Mayza shined in his return to the mound. In innings of work, Mayza struck out two batters while not giving up a hit.
He's also returned to the fastball averages he had before the injury and keeping his slider in the high 80s.
As Mayza begins to prepare for a bullpen role, it's great to see the long recovery pay off as he gets settled on the mound.
Mayza finished his 2019 campaign with a 1-3 record, 4.91 ERA, and 55 strikeouts in 51.1 IP.
Palacios shines
If you don't know who Josh Palacios is, you will now.
A 4th-round draft pick in the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft, Palacios has grabbed the attention of many with his impressive week at the plate.
In 5 appearances, Palacio slashed .455/.455/1.091 with a home run, triple, and 6 RBIs. Most of those stats came from nearly hitting for the cycle vs. the Orioles on March 5th.
If the offense wasn't enough, then there's his play in the outfield, including robbing Aaron Judge of a hit last Wednesday against the Yankees.
For the Blue Jays, it's promising to see a young up-and-coming talent perform well as he'll most likely begin the season in the minors. Spending his time with Double-A New Hampshire, Palacios could find his way to Triple-A Buffalo should he continue to keep up his hot start.
Palacios also caught the attention of Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo, who praised his work after his big day against the orioles.
"He's been playing great in the outfield and swinging the bat good. That's what Spring Training is all about. You show what you can do and you get a chance to show the team, 'Hey, hold on. I'm here.' That's what he's doing." (H/T Keegan Matheson)
Upon asking him about his performance, Palacios showed appreciation for George Springer, stating that he guided him throughout the game with his surroundings.
With the surplus of outfielders, Palacios can only continue to focus on his road to the Majors. For now, it's an excellent start for the young player.
Anything else that stood out to you? Leave a comment below or tweet at me @taboada93.
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