Notes: Ryu rolling; Thornton nears debut

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Hyun Jin Ryu’s Spring Training starts tend to follow the same script.

He steps on the mound, quietly breezes through a few innings without much trouble and then rounds out his day with a bullpen session. That’s exactly how it went during Monday’s 4-0 win over the Tigers, with Ryu striking out four batters and allowing just two hits over four innings.

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Ryu was scheduled to throw 60 pitches over these four frames, so when he got through them with just 49 pitches, he went to throw 15 more in the ‘pen. In total, you can roughly call Ryu’s workload five innings and 60-65 pitches, putting the ace right in line with where he wants to be at this point in March.

“My innings and pitch counts have been accumulating, and I think I’m going along with the schedule,” Ryu said through a team translator. “I’m doing pretty well right now to get myself prepared within the next two or three weeks into the season.”

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Ryu has felt more comfortable this spring compared to 2020, when he ramped up in Spring Training, only to be shut down and built back up in Summer Camp. His pitches have looked like they’re ready for Opening Day for some time now, and his fastball velocity on Monday sat at a comfortable 90.4 mph.

Ryu’s changeup was particularly sharp, earning him two swinging strikeouts in the third inning. The left-hander also worked in some cutters and changeups, so at this point, as Ryu is fond of saying, it’s all about building up workload.

Another outing where nothing looked out of the ordinary with Ryu is great news for the Blue Jays.

Thornton finally nearing game action
Trent Thornton said Monday that he was battling through bone spurs throughout the 2020 season, but finally hit a point after his Aug. 23 outing against the Rays where his right elbow “locked up,” preventing him from fully straightening or bending his arm. The right-hander underwent surgery to have those removed and has been throwing at full intensity for two to three weeks in Dunedin, Fla., with his Grapefruit League debut scheduled for Friday.

Thornton’s repertoire included six pitches in 2020, but he’s pared that down. Leaving the two-seamer and slider in his “back pocket,” Thornton will instead focus more on his four-seam fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup. As he rounds out his rehab, simplifying things makes sense.

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“My curveball has been really sharp. It feels really good coming out of my hand,” Thornton said. “My changeup has actually been one of the pitches I’ve been most impressed with. Normally, it’s been my worst pitch, but it’s been working really well for me in these live BPs.”

Just two years ago, Thornton led the 2019 Blue Jays in starts and innings. He’ll continue to be stretched out as a starter in camp, but a bullpen role is certainly on the table for the 27-year-old. Toronto will need multi-innings relievers and young starters embracing hybrid roles to cover a full 162 games, so once Thornton proves he’s healthy, he’ll be right back in that picture. His numbers the first time through the order are much stronger than the second, too, so a two- to three-inning role could suit him nicely.

Extras from Lakeland
• No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson (right groin strain) will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday and the Blue Jays will reevaluate his timeline then.

• Jonathan Davis got Toronto started with a towering solo shot to left field in the first. The 407-footer bounced off the light pole just beyond the fence for Davis’ first of the Grapefruit League season. Davis later walked and stole a base, flashing his great speed. The Blue Jays have their four outfielders set, but Davis’ ability to play a strong center field on top of his athleticism should earn him opportunities through the season.

“It’s great competition," David said. "I just want to be prepared to play and not really worry about what’s going to happen and where I might be. At the same time, competition is good and it’s healthy. If we all come out and put our best foot forward, we’ll have a great team. Ultimately, what we want to do is win.”

• Outfield prospect Chavez Young ripped a triple down the right-field line in the ninth, showing his great speed as he cruised into third. Young, who eventually scored on an Otto Lopez single, is having a strong spring. Keep an eye on him with Triple-A Buffalo this season, where the switch-hitter with strong defense will have an opportunity to put himself on the radar for 2022 and beyond.

• Santiago Espinal had a strong day at the plate with two well-hit singles. He’s expected to open 2021 at the alternate training site and then Buffalo, but he should be in line for opportunities through the season.

• Joel Payamps, who bounced between the Red Sox and the Blue Jays, got his first spring action with Toronto on Monday. The right-hander walked a batter and hit another, but he got through a scoreless ninth inning by striking out two while averaging 94.7 mph with his fastball.

• Right-hander Dany Jimenez was returned to Buffalo from the A’s via the Rule 5 Draft process, Toronto announced Monday. He will join the Blue Jays’ Major League camp. Now 27, the hard-throwing Jimenez was also a Rule 5 Draft pick in 2019 by the Giants and returned to the Blue Jays the following season.