Blue Jay’s newest pitcher Chad Green will be a key figure when he returns from injury

Chad Green: Blue Jays’ X Factor When He Returns From Injury

The Toronto Blue Jays ended January 2023 padding the pitching baton set up for “on-the-road” support in the two-year signing of former New York Yankees RHP Chad Green. This signing is an interesting deal with an even more interesting twist.

OFFICIAL: We have signed RHP Chad Green to a two-year contract with options for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Welcome to #BlueJaysChad! pic.twitter.com/cl1AhLqlW8

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 1, 2023

Green will not be in the best of health at the start or maybe even midway through the season as he recovers from Tommy John’s surgery. Some may wonder why such a transaction is conducted with so many vulnerabilities behind it? That’s definitely a valid question. On the other hand, where the glass is half full, why not give a try for a proven Class A arm for just $8.5 million upfront? Both are prospects that will get interesting as we get closer to the 2023 season.

In May 2022, Green left a game, putting him sidelined to date and for months to come. There is no doubt that we are in a different era of baseball, with advanced analytics, metrics, physiology and medical research, but the past always plays a nightmare with these scenarios.

Closer to home, the Blue Jays experienced a similar situation about 16 years ago, which led to their downfall. In November 2005, the Blue Jays brought star BJ Ryan closer to a huge five-year, $47 million deal. In 2007, Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery, recovered the next year, then declined demotion and finally ditched the Spikes for good. Ryan eventually lost stamina, experienced a decrease in fastball speed, and probably couldn’t spell the word “effective.”

This is just one of many scenarios in the league and definitely a real problem when it comes to free agents in the same boat. However, there have been a lot of success stories and we are aligning with that, as the Blue Jays front office has done. So how, at best, does Chad Green help Toronto?

Obviously, it doesn’t look like we’ll have Chad Green before the All-Star break. Between recovery, rehab, and rehab gigs, we’re probably looking at the end of August at best. If all goes well, Green will be refined, polished and confined to his innings while building his arm towards September and October. yes october There’s no better time to have a key signature in your back pocket where it matters.

Chad Green was an underrated gem for the New York Yankees, getting teams out of the bullpen and eating innings to help starters. In seven seasons, Green has a 3.17 ERA with 33 wins, 22 losses, 494 strikeouts and just 96 walks in 383 innings.

Green has four spots available, but only uses two of them regularly; a four-seam fastball and a curveball. His repertoire is solid with these two options, as he’s capable of going up to 97 gas with bite and good control, along with his out-pitch curveball that sweeps into the lower part of the zone, and fishing and flips can force. Its curve ranges between a 23-45 inch drop.