The Toronto Blue Jays bullpen has a lot of depth, but there are two relievers who deserve more credit for their recent performances. Yimi Garcia and Chad Green are two pitchers who have been consistent with their approach on the mound. Since last season, both have settled in nicely with the Blue Jays and have been dominant. They certainly deserve more recognition and credit.
These Blue Jays Relievers Deserve More Credit So Far This Season
Yimi Garcia
In spring training, Garcia looked solid, and so far he has carried that over into the regular season. He also put up impressive numbers for the Blue Jays last season and was used often in key situations and jams. In 2023, Garcia appeared in a career-high 73 games, the fourth most in the AL. He also set personal bests in innings pitched (66.0) and strikeouts (79). He certainly was dominant, stranding 28 of his 35 inherited runners. There’s no wonder Garcia pitched so often, as he was one of the most consistent and solid pitchers in the pen for the Blue Jays last season. Now, he is picking up where he left off, notching his first win of the season and recording a strikeout against the New York Yankees. The Yankees were shut out in their home opener for the first time since 1967.
Yimi Garcia 7th inning masterclass.
Inherits runners on 1st & 3rd with 0 outs.
Flyout, Popout & K. pic.twitter.com/NxaRwwNI9j
— Avery Chenier (@AveryChenier) April 3, 2024
Chad Green
Yankees shut out in a home opener for the 1st time since 1967!
Alex Verdugo gave it a ride as the tying run.
Former Yankee Chad Green gets the save. #RepBX
— Ryan Field (@RyanFieldABC) April 5, 2024
If there’s any pitcher that the Blue Jays don’t miss facing, it is Chad Green. Green wore out Blue Jays hitters when he was with the Yankees. They acquired Green from the New York Yankees in last year’s offseason, and he finally pitched for them toward the end of the season as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Green has found a nice home with the Blue Jays, and he’s shown consistency. Green picked up his first save of the season against his former team and pitched one inning. While he did give up two hits, they didn’t amount to anything, and he didn’t give up any runs.
It is a bit ironic that Green closed out a win against the Yankees after facing frequent criticism when he pitched for them. He’s known for giving up few walks and hits, and he strikes out batters at an above-average rate. This makes one wonder why the Yankees didn’t re-sign him, but it’s mainly due to the fact that his velocity dropped and being on the IL for Tommy John. But at the end of the day, Green deserves a lot of credit as a pitcher, and nowadays he is receiving a lot of respect on social media.
Strong Pen Equals Success
Yimi Garcia and Chad Green both deserve credit for their great start in the 2024 season. They’ve showcased dominance on the mound and given Blue Jays fans a lot to smile about. They should be seeing plenty of action out of the pen this year. Recognition, credit, and respect are three things that these two pitchers in the pen deserve more of. Recovering from Tommy John and then continuing to show consistency should put Green on the fans’ good side for a long time. Plus, Garcia’s impressive stats have cemented his reputation as a workhorse.
Photo Credit: © John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
