Pearson finally healthy and hungry for a major role

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- It’s springtime in Dunedin, which brings back annual traditions. Since the spring of 2018, one of those has been a fascination with the potential of Nate Pearson, the Blue Jays’ former No. 1 prospect who continues to tantalize with his gifted right arm.

Pearson was one of the first Blue Jays to arrive in camp when it opened Friday, just a short drive from his offseason home. He’d been training at the new complex up until Dec. 1, when the lockout began, but since then, he’d only been able to drive by. By noon on the first day of camp, though, the towering right-hander was finally back on a mound.

“It’s been a little crazy, trying to follow what we were trying to agree on, trying to get a deal done,” Pearson said Friday in camp. “At that moment, you’ve just got to focus on preparing for whichever day you’ll have to report and make sure you’re ready to go. That’s exactly what we did. We got a deal done yesterday and we’re already throwing to live hitters. This is a quick turnaround, but we’re prepared.”

Pearson was thrown right into the fire, simulating two innings against a group of Blue Jays hitters that included Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Pearson “sprayed it all over the place” his first time up, which the 25-year-old says is typically the case on Day 1 of camp, but he then looked much sharper when he came back out the second time. Pearson’s breaking ball was working, and his trademark fastball, which is already reaching up to the 98-mph range, looked just fine.

This current era of Pearson’s career is a window that stretches back to the shortened 2020 season, when he made his MLB debut. A 6.00 ERA over 18 regular-season innings didn’t make much of an impression, but then came two innings of relief against the Rays in the Wild Card Series, in which Pearson struck out five of the six batters he faced, looking like the dominant pitcher he was in the Minor Leagues. That’s what could have rolled into ’21.

Instead, Pearson dealt with some unfortunate injuries. There were groin issues both early in the season and late, then a shoulder impingement in the middle. As Pearson worked to manage the injury and adjust his delivery around it, he struggled to find a groove, which was understandable. This offseason, though, Pearson underwent a minor surgery to repair a sports hernia, and after a month off to recover, he finally feels like himself again. The surgery loosened up his hips, allowing Pearson to feel more natural in his delivery.

Now he wants to show everyone that he’s back.

“I’m coming in as a starter and trying to win a job,” Pearson said. “That’s all I’m really focused on, winning a spot in the rotation. That’s the main goal.”

That picture is suddenly more crowded, though, following the Blue Jays’ agreement with Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on a three-year, $36 million deal Saturday. Along with José Berríos, Kevin Gausman, Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah, the Blue Jays have one of the finest groups of five starters in Major League Baseball. They’ll need more, of course, and it’s possible a sixth starter is worked in throughout the season as pitchers ramp up from a shortened spring and navigate the increased number of nine-inning doubleheaders over the summer. Where, then, does this leave Pearson?

Injuries and performance will likely change this picture a dozen times by Week 2 of the season, but Pearson remains an X-factor in this group. He could be optioned to Triple-A and remain stretched out as a starter, of course, but this is a big league arm that, when healthy, is simply capable of things other Blue Jays depth options are not. It's time for Pearson, now 25, to be contributing in the Majors. Perhaps there’s a hybrid role in play for Pearson, where he pitches multiple innings of relief out of the bullpen and slides in for spot starts when necessary. If you thought you heard the term “bulk role” a lot in 2021, just wait until ’22.

To make any of these potential roles work, though, Pearson needs to consistently show his talents on the mound.

“I feel like I can dig deeper into my arsenal now,” Pearson explained. “Last year, I really only had my fastball and slider because I was worried about everything else going on. Now, I threw a few curveballs today and I’m working on my changeup. The heater is right where I want it.”

That fastball is still the big ticket. Getting that pitch spotted up in the zone is dangerous, but big leaguers can hit 99 mph heaters. Put the legitimate threat of a breaking ball or changeup in their mind, though, and it’s a different story.

Pearson and the Blue Jays hope they've reached the point where the right-hander gets some open road in front of him. He has competition for a role, but even after his injuries and inconsistencies, there’s a reason Pearson continues to be one of the marvels of camp when he steps on a mound.