Toronto Blue Jays: Drew Hutchison Loses in Triple-A Return
Drew Hutchison lost in his return to Triple-A baseball yesterday
Drew Hutchison was “surprised” when the Toronto Blue Jays demoted him to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons last week, but the move didn’t really catch many fans off guard. In fact, it’s an idea I’ve floated on this very site several times.
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The problem with Hutchison is a godawful split in his performance at home versus on the road.
At the pitcher-friendly confines (?!) of the Rogers Centre, Hutchison is 10-1 (13 starts) with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.08. If he only ever pitched at home, these types of numbers would be enough to put him in the Cy Young conversation (albeit as a distant candidate).
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and it’s his road numbers that really hurt him. He’s gone 2-1 (11 starts) with an ERA of 9.00 and a WHIP of 2.00 away from home. Subtract the unbelievable run support he enjoys – Hutchison leads the league in this category – and you would see a lot more loses on his stats sheet.
Aug 16, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Drew Hutchison (36) delivers a pitch against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
This is the basic background behind Hutchison’s demotion. The Jays were going on an extended road trip with three off-days sandwiched between everything so they opted to rest Hutchinson, avoid the risk he represents and run with a four-man rotation. For the Jays, the results have been great so far: they split a two-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies and now just completed a record-breaking three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
On the other hand, things haven’t exactly been great for Hutchison. As mentioned, the demotion caught him by surprise and now he can’t find any run support as the Buffalo Bisons fell 3-0 to the Syracuse Chiefs in his return to Triple-A baseball yesterday.
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Hutchison’s evening only lasted four innings as he picked up the loss. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks. One of the hits was a one-run blast from Matt den Dekker. It wasn’t all bad new for Hutchison, however: he was able to collect four strikeouts.
With Marcus Stroman working his way to a possible September return, it’s not clear if Hutchison will find his way back into the Jays rotation this season. He’ll definitely crack the 40-man roster, but after this, it’s anyone’s guess where he lands in the lineup.
He had his chances; now the Jays need to concentrate on fielding the best team every night.
What are your thoughts? Will Hutchison find his way back into the rotation this year? Is he worth the risk? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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