Toronto Blue Jays: 3 Questions Heading Into Opening Day

The Toronto Blue Jays have made their way north and this time around don't have to stop in Buffalo. The ball club has wrapped up a successful spring training in Florida and will pack up a heavy load and make way home, to Toronto this season as a sense of normalcy is met with high expectations. While the team is loaded with talent and a legit chance at winning it all, let's dive into three questions surrounding the ball club:

Will the Blue Jays Rotation Hold Up to Expectations?

While the likes of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Hyun-Jin Ryu are all proven starters in the MLB, the same can't be said for Alek Manoah and Yusei Kikuchi. Manoah is only 24 years old and only has 20 starts under his belt, meanwhile Kikuchi only has 70 starts in his career, which included a 7-9 record last season with a 4.41 ERA. He was either lights out or got roughed up in a big way, and some are concerned with his second half to last season as the southpaw ran out of gas to end the year. The Blue Jays are going to need consistency out of their fourth and fifth starters and this is certainly one of their biggest question marks as we start the 2022 season.

Can the Blue Jays Outfield Stay Healthy?

With the trade of Randal Grichuk, the Blue Jays are going into a new campaign with George Springer in center, Teoscar Hernandez in left, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr in left. The team acquired Raimel Tapia in the Grichuk deal the Colorado Avalanche, and he'll likely serve as the primary fourth outfielder and will see some playing time when one of the three regulars is DH'n. While production shouldn't be an issue from their outfield, Toronto has to be mindful of the fact they will need some more depth as the three starters all have a history of injuries. Especially the 32-year-old Springer who has only suited up for 78 ball games for the Blue birds. The veteran hasn't played a full season since 2016 and in the last two years has only appeared in 129 games. Keep an eye on Toronto's outfield, and let's hope all their stars can stay on the field.

Is Second Base a Write-Off at the Plate?

After Marcus Semien decided he was going to secure the bag via free agency, the Blue Jays turned over the keys to second base to Cavan Biggio and Santiago Espinal. Biggio is coming off an injury-riddled season and a brief comeback that fell short of expectations, meanwhile Espinal is known for his glove and while he's put on 20 pounds this offseason which should lead to some more pop in his bat, the question remains about consistent contact. The two won't be asked to hammer home runs like Semien but they need to be productive both with the glove and at the plate. Look for manager Charlie Montoyo to give each of them equal playing time to start the season and let's see if one of the two can take the bull by the horns and become the everyday second baseman.