Maybe a week ago, I noticed a couple friends of mine chatting about the Blue Jays chances on social media. Ontario residents, they were all collectively pumped up about the possibility – maybe even strong likelihood – that Toronto would end the longest playoff drought in the Major Leagues and October baseball would return to “The Big Smoke” for the first time since Joe Carter took Mitch Williams over the left field fence.
Their one concern? The bullpen, primarily the club’s “lack of a proven closer” is what I believe the quote was.
Gentlemen – Roberto Osuna and I would like to have a word with you.
On the season, the 20-year-old rookie is 1-4 with a 1.91 ERA and 15 saves in 16 opportunities. He’s got 63 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched (prior to Wednesday’s game) with a 0.865 WHIP, an opponent’s batting average below The Mendoza Line and has only given up three home runs. What’s been most impressive is that once the Blue Jays made the deals that brought Troy Tulowitzki and David Price to town, Osuna has gone into lockdown mode, posting a 0.87 ERA while going 9-for-9 in save situations in the month of August.
While he doesn’t have Mariano Rivera’s track record, Osuna has been an absolute revelation in the ninth inning for the Jays this season after both Brett Cecil and Miguel Castro flamed out in the closer role earlier in the year.
You have to remember – this is a kid who was expected to play at Double-A this year, maybe work his way up to Buffalo and have a cup of coffee with the big club in September once the roster expanded, especially if Toronto was out of the running and taking a long look at some of their young talent. Instead, he forced the team to bring him north when Spring Training broke and he’s been the Jays best pitcher out of the bullpen all season long and it hasn’t been close. He didn’t give up a run in his first seven appearances and has only allowed 12 earned all season. In his debut, he froze Alex Rodriguez… in Yankees Stadium. With the pressure of the playoff race heating up, the Mexican righthander has stepped his game up, allowing just six hits while striking out 11 in his last 10 appearances.
Earlier in the year, I mentioned that if he kept pitching well, Osuna would have to be considered for the American League Rookie of the Year award. At the time, my prediction was that Houston Astros shortstop-slash-wunderkind Carlos Correa would get the nod as long as he kept lighting up the league, but he’s tailed off in August, opening the door for Osuna.
Miguel Sano of the Minnesota Twins and Lance McCullers, Correa’s teammate with the Astros, have to be considered candidates for the honour as well, but it’s hard to argue against Osuna being the front-runner heading into September given the way he’s stepped up his game and what he means to his team – a team that two games ahead of the Astros in the loss column I might add.
What makes Osuna’s success this year even more remarkable – you know, besides the fact that he’s 20 and wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place – is that he’s viewed long-term as a starter, not a reliever. He has an solid repertoire of pitches and excellent command, two things that work in his favour in terms of moving to the rotation, and if he can successfully make that transition – perhaps as early as next season – he’s someone that could become a superstar for a team that should remain in contention going forward for the next couple years.
With a ton of high profile teammates garnering all the attention, it’s understandable that a no-flash kid that comes out of the bullpen has faded into the background a little, but make no mistake about it – Roberto Osuna has been vital to the Toronto Blue Jays’ success this season and is only getting started.
