Stripling's First Inning Fiasco Begs the Question: Is it Time for a Change?

After a shutout gem one night prior, Toronto's starting pitching performance on Wednesday was truly a sobering experience.

In his last appearance, May 7 in Atlanta, Blue Jays starter Ross Stripling gave up a home run before recording an out. Ronald Acuña Jr. was the culprit and a two-run first inning was the result. Wednesday night at TD Park in Dunedin, Fla., was much, much, worse.

A sun-aided single by lead-off man Kiké Hernandez started the first inning, before Alex Verdugo mashed a changeup over the wall in right field. The very next hitter, J.D. Martinez, clubbed a breaking ball deep to centre, making it back-to-back Red Sox bombs. Stripling allowed hits to five straight Red Sox batters -- four of which left the bat at over 100 miles-per-hour -- before getting an out.

When the first inning mercifully came to an end, Boston had sent nine hitters to the plate and scored five runs. The Blue Jays put up a late fight, but Boston controlled this one, as Toronto lost 7-3.

Stripling toed the mound in the second inning, looking ready to reset, but, alas, nothing changed. Hernandez took an 88-mile-per-hour fastball over the wall in left, as Stripling surrendered his third home run of the game.

The right-hander settled down afterwards, but the damage was done. Stripling went just three and two-third innings before Trent Thornton replaced him.

On the offensive side, Marcus Semien spearheaded a late Toronto push with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. He's cranked it up in May, slashing .364/.400/.652 out of the lead-off spot, and Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo praised Semien for his efforts.

"He's one of the reasons that we're doing well, at this point," Montoyo said of his second baseman.

"[Semien is] having the kind of season that he had two years ago," Montoyo added. "And that's why we signed him because we believe that's what he could do."

What's next for Stripling and the starting rotation?

Stripling's been off his game this season. According to Baseball Savant, he's allowing a hard-hit rate of 41.5% and an opponent wOBA (weighted on-base) of .380 -- both are career highs.

It's been a frustrating stretch for Stripling, who said after tonight's game he'll need to reassess his approach on the mound.

"After now, four months, going back to last season, of kind of pitching this way, part of you wonders if you go back to the drawing board and change some stuff up," Stripling said.

At one point, Stripling jokingly asked the media for pointers.

"If you see something let me know, cause we got to get better."

If Stripling were to lose his spot in the rotation, Toronto would essentially have two blank spaces behind Hyun Jin Ryu, Robbie Ray, Steven Matz.

Anthony Kay has made a few starts, but doesn't figure to be a long-term starting pitching option, and Nate Pearson is working through command issues of his own in Triple-A.

Thomas Hatch is another legitimate option to join the rotation. He starts a rehab outing on Thursday in Triple-A.

It was a day ending in Y, so, naturally, Blue Jays fifth-ranked prospect Alek Manoah put up eye-popping numbers in Triple-A Trenton/Buffalo.

Manoah's command was a bit shakier Wednesday night, but he still punched out 10 hitters and allowed one run in six innings of work. Through his first three Triple-A starts, Manoah has struck out 27 hitters in 18 innings with an impressive 0.50 ERA.

With each passing game -- and each stellar Manoah outing -- the fan-driven yearning to call up the big righty builds stronger and stronger. After a sub-par starting pitching performance on Wednesday in Dunedin, there's no sign the pressure to call up Manoah will relent anytime soon.

Up Next:

LHP Steven Matz vs. RHP Nick Pivetta @ 7:37 p.m. E.T.

Victoria, B.C.'s very own Nick Pivetta takes the hill Thursday against the Blue Jays. He's yet to pitch against Toronto this year, but has been solid in 2021, sporting a 5-0 record with a 3.16 ERA.

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