Alejandro Kirk gets the call. The Blue Jays’ opening-day roster is almost set

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This article was published 28/03/2021 (1686 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Blue Jays’ roster decisions for the upcoming season have been coming in waves over the last week. First, it was Joe Panik who received the good news, and then on Saturday Jonathan Davis was called into the manager’s office for the meeting he had been waiting for. The following morning, four more players were added to the list.

Charlie Montoyo began his Sunday by informing catcher Alejandro Kirk, first baseman Rowdy Tellez, right-hander Trent Thornton and lefty Tim Mayza they will be on his opening-day 26-man roster. That leaves two spots up for grabs with one spring game to go before Thursday’s opener in New York against the Yankees.

After almost six weeks in Florida, the only spots still unresolved can be found in the starting rotation and bullpen, where two jobs remain up for grabs. Another unknown is whether centre-fielder George Springer will be ready to go for the first game after he went down late in camp with a Grade 2 strain of his oblique muscle.

At the start of camp, the Star took a crack at predicting the Jays’ opening day roster. Those picks were updated midway through the spring once additional information started coming in. With opening day drawing near, it’s an ideal time to take one last look at the projected roster to see what changed and which decisions are still outstanding.

Catchers (two)

Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk

What changed? The initial prediction was that Reese McGuire would win the backup job because he was out of minor-league options. The Jays felt otherwise because even though this was labelled as a competition, Kirk spent the entire spring as Robbie Ray’s personal catcher. McGuire never got a shot, and it appears likely he will be designated for assignment in the coming days. Alternatively, the Jays could stash McGuire on the roster for a day or two before putting him on the waiver wire, when he might have a better chance of sneaking through by cutting another reliever.

Infielders (six)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Rowdy Tellez, Joe Panik

What changed? Not a thing. This was the projected infield at the start of camp, and it remains the same a few days before the season opener. Panik, who was on a minor-league deal, received word last week that he was going to be on the team. Tellez was officially informed Sunday. Neither one came as a surprise.

Outfielders (five)

Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, Randal Grichuk, Jonathan Davis

What changed? Springer hit off a tee Sunday and is expected to be evaluated again on Monday, but the Jays likely will wait until closer to Thursday before deciding on his availability. Davis’ spot on the roster isn’t necessarily tied to Springer. He was going to make the roster regardless, but Davis could get optioned later when the Jays add a ninth man to the bullpen. If Springer needs to go on the injured list, Davis’ stay will be longer.

Starting rotation (five)

Hyun-Jin Ryu, Ross Stripling, Steven Matz, Tanner Roark, T.J. Zeuch

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What changed? Nate Pearson and Ray both went down with injuries. Pearson’s spot went to Stripling while the other opening will belong to either Zeuch or Kay. Zeuch appears to be the favourite here after the Jays were encouraged by an uptick in his velocity this spring. Kay left his last appearance of the spring with a lower-leg contusion, but it’s considered minor and not expected to factor into this decision.

Relievers (eight)

Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis, Tyler Chatwood, Ryan Borucki, David Phelps, Tim Mayza, Trent Thornton, Julian Merryweather

What changed? The emergence of Mayza. After missing all last year following Tommy John surgery, Mayza wasn’t on the Jays’ radar at the start of spring training, but he forced his way into the conversation with a slew of strong outings. Mayza is on a minor-league deal, whereas fellow lefty Francisco Liriano has an opt-out clause. I figured that would be enough to give Liriano the edge, but Mayza turned too many heads with his velocity and sink. The final spot remains up for grabs, with Merryweather in the mix alongside Liriano and Anthony Castro. At least one of these guys will end up on the taxi squad, with additional moves possible following Friday’s off-day.

Gregor Chisholm is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @GregorChisholm or reach him via email: gchisholm@thestar.ca