Toronto Blue Jays Set Pitching Rotation Out of All-Star Break

On Tuesday night, the American League beat the National League 4-0 to capture this year's All-Star Game.

The game had a distinctly Toronto Blue Jays flavor, as John Schneider managed the American League team, Ernie Clement and Dylan Cease started for it, and Louis Varland pitched in the eighth inning.

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But after the contest ended, it was back to Blue Jays business for Schneider, who announced the team's pitching plans coming out of the All-Star break.

As noted by Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, Spencer Miles will start on Friday, Shane Bieber on Saturday, Trey Yesavage on Sunday, Dylan Cease on Monday and Kevin Gausman on Tuesday.

The Jays will open up the second half of the season on Friday night at home against the Chicago White Sox. Toronto is 45-51 and in last place in the American League East, but they are still just 2.5 games back in the American League wild card chase.

If they are to make a run at a playoff spot in the mediocre American League, they'll have to come out of the gates strong in the second half.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) pitches to the Houston Astros during the first inning at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The White Sox are a good team though, and they are currently tied for first place in the American League Central at 50-45. They are looking for their first playoff berth since 2021.

One interesting thing to note

Nowhere in these pitching plans is right-hander Max Scherzer, who is working back from a back injury. The Future Hall of Famer has had a dreadful season in the big leagues, going 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA.

Is he not ready to come back yet, or are the Blue Jays not ready to give him the ball? And if they aren't, what does that say about his roster spot moving forward?

As for Miles

The Rule-5 Draft selection has certainly earned his opportunities in the face of long odds.

Now 25, he was taken in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Because of injuries, he had pitched in only 10 minor league games in four seasons before this one, totaling only 14.2 innings.

Because of the way the Rule-5 Draft works, Miles has to stay on the Jays roster for the entirety of the season (as long as healthy), or be offered back to San Francisco. Given the nature of his minor league career, there was no way to know how he'd respond to being on a big league roster - especially one with World Series aspirations. And, could he handle the workload or would he tire out? 

At the All-Star Break, Miles is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA. He's appeared in 26 games, starting three, helping to keep the pitching staff together in the face of all the injuries. He's thrown 60 innings, striking out 57 batters and showing velocity in the mid-to-upper 90s.

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