The Blue Jays have altered their pitching plans for this week both to create a level playing field in the battle for their two remaining rotation spots and to deprive the division rival Tampa Bay Rays of getting too familiar with Brandon Morrow.
After Monday’s off-day, lefty Marc Rzepczynski will slip into Morrow’s scheduled start Tuesday in Port Charlotte against the Rays. The move is done, in part to let both Rzepczynski and Jesse Litsch start games rather than follow each other to the mound in the same game.
“We’ve split them up to give them equal opportunity to follow their pre-game routines. It is a competition, so we want to make sure they have an equal footing,” manager John Farrell said.
Instead of facing the Rays for the second consecutive start, Morrow will pitch Tuesday in a simulated game at the Jays minor-league complex.
“He’s been dealing with a little irritation in his non-throwing shoulder,” Farrell said. “This is a chance to work at a controlled pace but at the same time get him four innings and 65 pitches.”
The other reason is that, if he stayed on the same schedule, Morrow would have faced the Rays, a division rival, three times in a row and Farrell doesn’t want to give them that many looks at him.
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