DUNEDIN, Fla.—Nate Pearson’s first outing of the spring was not a success in the boxscore, but the Blue Jays’ one-time top prospect came off the mound pleased with his day at the office.
The big righty threw 31 pitches in the third inning, only 18 for strikes, and gave up a run on a double, two walks and a wild pitch. But he also struck out three and hit 100.8 miles per hour on a 1-and-2 fastball to Josh Donaldson that the former MVP swung through, one of five swinging strikes generated by the fireballer: three on the heater, one each on the slider and curve.
“I was excited just to get out there and get the first one of the year under my belt,” the 26-year-old Pearson said after the Jays’ 9-5 defeat. “Obviously I gave up a run, but I felt like I was moving easy and smooth. The numbers were good. I felt good.”
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Look up “snakebit” in the dictionary and you’ll find Pearson’s picture. A line drive back to the mound broke his elbow in the first inning of what was supposed to be his first full season of professional baseball in 2018, and he didn’t pitch again that year. He’s had a sports hernia, a shoulder injury and missed a few months last year with mononucleosis.
Pearson is going into his seventh season as a pro and has pitched as many as 31 innings only once: 2019, when he threw 101 2/3 combined at three levels of the minors. This is the first year the team has decided not to try to use him as a starting pitcher.
“You know how the past two years went,” said Pearson, “trying to force something to happen so bad and it’s just not going my way. Right now I’m just embracing whatever happens, just trying to earn a spot and get outs.”
The strikeout of Donaldson, including Pearson’s only two 100-m.p.h. fastballs, was significant.
“Striking out a guy like that,” said Pearson, “he’s been around, had a lot of success — you know, MVP. It was cool to be able to match up with him.”
Vlad strikes again
For the second time in as many games, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. murdalized a baseball. In the Grapefruit opener Saturday, it was a 432-foot shot off Pittsburgh’s all-star closer David Bednar. On Sunday against the Yankees B squad, Guerrero belted a 401-foot blast off right-hander Matt Bowman that had fans on the boardwalk in left field ducking for cover.
“I think everything he’s doing stands out,” manager John Schneider said of his all-star slugger.
The 23-year-old Guerrero is ahead of schedule before playing for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic. He’ll leave Jays camp next weekend.
“I think whenever you want to represent your country, you’re a little bit more aware of what you’re doing this time of camp,” said Schneider. “But I think last year, coming after (his near-MVP season in) 2021, he’s kind of out to show everyone — you know, teammates, league, everyone — (that) this is the Vlad you can expect.”
Rubber match
It didn’t take long for Jays reliever Tim Mayza to get tripped up by MLB’s new rules. The second batter he faced this spring was Donaldson, who played some cat-and-mouse in the batter’s box.
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“I’m staring right at him,” said Mayza, the longest-tenured Blue Jay, “and he kind of hesitated and I disengaged, and I was like ‘ah, man.’”
Pitchers are now only allowed to disengage from the rubber twice during each at-bat. Mayza fell into the former Jay’s trap.
“(Donaldson said) ‘I got him! That’s one!’” said Mayza. “Yeah, you did. It’s going to take some time to get used to that side of it.”
Mike Wilner
is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the
baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness
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