Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Smith and Roberto Osuna form new dynamic duo
After a slow start to the season, it appears that Roberto Osuna and Jose Smith have formed a new dynamic duo to close out games for the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the month of April the Toronto Blue Jays only had six saves which had them ranked 17th in the MLB. Now they are in seventh place with 19, 11 of those have come in the last 30 days which leads the league. Going into the season there were a lot of questions about the bullpen with only one certainty. Roberto Osuna was going to close out games, they also had Joe Biagini but after that it was a toss up, now insert Joe Smith.
With Jason Grilli struggling and Biagini in the rotation, the Blue Jays needed someone to step up and claim the set up job. The team signed Smith to a one-year $3-million contract in the offseason and it might have been their best addition. It proves once again that a team does not need to spend a lot of money to get good relievers. Now they have a formidable tag team that continue to deliver when called upon.
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Osuna has put up numbers that have him back among the elite closers in baseball in saves, despite Greg Holland‘s ridiculous start for the Colorado Rockies. However in the last 30 days no one has more saves than the 22-year old. Not too far off is Smith who has thrived with a 14.21 K/9 and a 0.71 BB/9. Looking at the 33-year olds game logs from this season; he has only allowed an earned run in three outings and has failed to record a strikeout only once. That type of consistency is tough to find and it could be in part to his unique delivery.
Without Smith it would have been a tough for the Blue Jays to rely on another reliever to do what Smith has done. It has played a key role in the team’s turn around after a miserable month of April. Hopefully Aaron Sanchez can return giving the Blue Jays bullpen a boost with Biagini likely to be slotted back there.
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If Osuna, Smith and Biagini can continue to consistently perform at the level that they have shown it should give the team a legitimate chance to climb up the AL East if the offence can continue to improve.