TORONTO – The Blue Jays have a burgeoning crisis in their starting rotation and they can't look to Buffalo for a solution. They've already done that and there's nowhere else to turn within their organization.
Kevin Gausman, a workhorse for the Jays the first three months of the season, was knocked out in the second inning of Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Rogers Centre after taking a Wander Franco comebacker directly off the right ankle. Initial reports were promising, just a contusion and X-rays showing no fracture, but it's unclear how long Gausman might be out.
Bisons ace Casey Lawrence, on hand as the 27th man for the doubleheader, was quickly summoned to duty. And although he took the loss by giving up all six Tampa Bay runs, the longer view was how he saved the Toronto bullpen by gutting out 5⅔ innings and 87 pitches.
That came just four days after throwing 99 for the Herd in its series-opening loss in Scranton. Lawrence, 34, is 8-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 12 starts for the Bisons.
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"That's a great job by Lawrence giving us that much," said Jays manager Charlie Montoyo. "It was huge."
"When you're thrown in that situation, for me it's just kind of put your head down and get as deep into the game as I can while giving us a chance to win," Lawrence said.
Good thing Lawrence did what he could, because spot starter Thomas Hatch, also up from the Herd, got crushed for 10 runs on 12 hits over 4 2/3 innings of the nightcap as the Rays completed a sweep with an 11-5 rout. Tampa Bay homered five times in the twinbill, with Isaac Paredes connecting in each game and Fernando Mejia going deep twice in the nightcap.
It's too soon to know whether Gausman, who crumpled to the ground and gingerly walked off after he was struck, can make his next start next week in Seattle. Lawrence would be ready for that role if he was called upon, just like he was on immediate notice Saturday with Gausman lying on the turf.
"It's just knowing what your role is on the team and being a longer guy," Lawrence said. "Immediately when I saw that, you start moving around and anticipate you're going to be the guy so you don't get caught on your heels."
"You could tell coming to the stadium there's a lot of activity out there," Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jordan Romano said. "People want to watch a ballgame and enjoy it with the family. It's a special day. When we were in Buffalo, it just didn't feel right spending Canada Day not here. You really appreciate being back."
Alek Manoah and Ross Stripling have been the most dependable members of the Jays' rotation of late, and Stripling's contributions have been a godsend in the wake of Hyun Jin Ryu's season-ending Tommy John surgery.
But Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Berrios, who both pushed aside recent struggles to post wins Thursday and Friday, respectively, have been far more inconsistent. The Blue Jays already had bullpen issues, adding veteran Sergio Romo this week and acquiring lefty Anthony Banda from Pittsburgh for cash on Saturday.
They escaped disaster with Gausman not out long term but still could probably use another arm at some point. Nate Pearson is on the injured list in Buffalo and Anthony Kay just came off the IL so the Herd's depth is also paper-thin.
The Bisons are getting beat up in Scranton, where they dropped the first five games of their series to fall into second place in the IL East heading into Sunday's finale. They lost both Thursday and Friday by 8-1 scores and dropped a 4-3 decision Saturday in a game shortened to 5 1/2 innings by rain. They simply have no starters at all.
Since signing with Toronto, Samad Taylor has become more confident in his performance at the plate. His development has exponentially increased since his return from the Australian League in 2021, increasing his batting average from .244 in Canberra to .294 last season at New Hampshire.
Lawrence, who was supposed to be Buffalo's starter in Sunday's series finale, obviously won't be filling that role. Hatch will return, although probably not to pitch before Wednesday or Thursday.Â
Graham Spraker, Derek Holland and Mike Ellenbest have made three starts for Buffalo as openers and none went more than two innings. There's not much behind them either as Bowden Francis went 2⅔ innings in relief on Wednesday and got the call to start Saturday but lasted 2⅓ innings and gave up three home runs.
Help is on the way as Max Castillo pitched in relief for the second straight day for the Blue Jays and was sent back to Buffalo after the opener. He was 2-0, 0.66 in five games for the Bisons (three starts), struck out 29 in 27â…“Â innings and held opponents to a lowly .110 batting average.Â
For all the talk about pitching, the Toronto offense didn't do anything in the opener against Tampa Bay ace Shane McClanahan (9-3). The American League ERA and strikeout leader allowed three hits and struck out 10 over seven innings, fanning six of the last seven men he faced.
Bona's Grey may meet Herd Monday
The Bisons play their series finale Sunday in Scranton and then host Syracuse Monday at 6:05 in the annual Independence Day celebration featuring the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Sahlen Field. Frewsburg native and former St. Bonaventure pitcher Connor Grey is tentatively slated to be the Syracuse starter.
Grey, a 20th-round draft pick of Arizona in 2016, is trying to become the first Bona player to reach the big leagues. He moved higher on the parent New York Mets' radar by going 2-1, 3.38 in five May outings for Syracuse but has not gotten out of the fourth inning in his last three starts.
