Thornton set to 'take off' in starting role

TORONTO -- Trent Thornton has clung to the Blue Jays' No. 5 starter job through Spring Training, the shutdown and now Summer Camp. Now that a spot is his, it’s time for that next step.

Chase Anderson's oblique injury means that Thornton bumps up to the No. 4 job, with a competition behind him instead of around him. After being the surprise team leader in both starts (29) and innings (154 1/3) last season, Thornton is focused on efficiency and that blurry line between throwing and pitching.

“Instead of trying to strike everybody out, get those quick outs,” Thornton said. “Those one- and two-pitch at-bats, so I can get deeper in games and not throw as many pitches. There were a couple of outings [in 2019] where I was pitching really well, but I was at 100 pitches through five.”

Thornton went beyond six innings just three times in 2019, a number that both he and the Blue Jays want to see grow.

Pitching coach Pete Walker thinks that Thornton is looking at a potential breakout, even in the shortened season, but he’s also realistic about what needs to happen. Thornton revs high, so the “control” he’ll need isn’t just on his pitches.

“Seeing is believing,” Walker said. “I still think we’ve got to calm him down a little bit. He’s awesome. He’s got great potential, great Major League ability. He tends to overthrow at times. We talk about it all the time. When he can settle down a little bit more, I think he’s really going to excel and take off. I think he’s close.”

Thornton, like most of Toronto's starters, has come into camp built up very well. He had 50-60 pitches planned for his live BP session on Sunday and fell in that range, focusing on using his pitches in natural counts to best simulate a game situation.

The shutdown was a challenge, of course, but Thornton had everything he needed. There was a good weight set at home, while his trainer gave him the key to his gym, which had been closed, for private work. Thornton's high school baseball coach also gave him the key to the field, so that he and one other person could use it to throw. That’s a heavy keychain, but a valuable one.

In Sunday’s session, Thornton checked off everything he was looking for and expects he’ll be able to fully “let the reins off” in a week or two.

“The elevated fastball was definitely a point of emphasis," Thornton said. "I thought I did a decent job with that, but as far as my offspeed [stuff] -- breaking balls, changeup and cutter -- they all felt really, really good. I accomplished a lot of what I wanted to.”

Thornton is well suited to the Blue Jays’ setup in Toronto, too, if they end up playing out the regular season in their home city under the same modified quarantine they’ve been observing through Summer Camp.

Like many rookies when they come up to the big league club, Thornton lived in the hotel attached to Rogers Centre last season. Some players do it out of convenience, but for most, it’s a better option than finding a rental nearby while not knowing how long they’ll stick on the roster. At this point, Thornton can probably start to look at apartments.

“I did it all last year. It’s definitely doable. I feel right at home,” Thornton said. “It does get a little boring sometimes, sitting on the bed, but if that’s what we need to do to play, then that’s perfectly fine with me. I think everybody’s just ready for baseball, ready to compete and to have a little normalcy back.”