Our weekly look at one item tying together each of the Red Sox' opponents in the AL East surveys the Blue Jays, whose rotation battle was all for naught when an injury hit.
Part of what gave John Farrell a good degree of excitement in taking over at Toronto was the young, talented staff he would inherit. One of those hurlers was Brandon Morrow, but the righty will open the year on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow.
The injury made it such that three pitchers who were once part of a cometition for two spots — Kyle Drabek, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jesse Litsch — will all be part of the rotation come Opening Day.
Morrow emerged last season with a 10-7 record and a phenomenal rate of strikeouts with 10.9 per nine innings. He was shut down late in the year to avoid wear and tear but figured to be one of the staff leaders in 2011.
Morrow may miss only one start since the move was retroactive, but his health is worth monitoring going forward.
Meanwhile, the quartet of Opening Day starter Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Reyes and Litsch combined to post a 6.30 ERA in one run through the rotation. Only Reyes had a quality start.
The Jays rotation will be an exciting one at some point. Right now, it's a bit up in the air.
