Toronto Blue Jays' Ace Reliever Could Be Ready For Opening Day After Delayed Spring Training
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While not official, it sounds as if Toronto Blue Jays' elite reliever Erik Swanson has a real chance to be ready to pitch on Opening Day.
Per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet:
Erik Swanson on track to be available for opening day after throwing about 20 pitches at Blue Jays’ spring complex today. Might pitch in a controlled setting once more before getting into games.
Swanson has had a turbulent spring as he left the team for a few days to tend to his son Toby, who was hit by a car in Florida. However, Swanson was able to return to the team as Toby improved, and now says that his son should be going home in the next day or two.
The health of Toby is obviously the most important storyline line, but from a baseball standpoint, having Swanson at the outset of the year is certainly awsome news. He pairs with closer Jordan Romano to make a great late-game option for the playoff-hopeful Jays.
The 30-year-old is coming off a season in which he went 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 69 games. He was an integral part of the Jays making the playoffs for the second straight year as well. He struck out 75 batters in 66.2 innings.
Lifetime, Swanson has a 3.78 ERA in five seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Blue Jays. He was traded from Seattle to Toronto before the 2023 season in the deal that sent Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle.
He's become an extremely valuable bullpen arm in the last two years, making 57 and 69 appearances.
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