There were a lot of fans that were upset at the fact that Ubaldo Jimenez essentially beat out Kevin Gausman for the final rotation spot.
Gausman had a better spring but Jimenez pitched well enough down the stretch to keep himself in the rotation. It also helps that the Orioles are paying him $50 million.
However, Chris Tillman has been the only impressive starter so far as Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez had their struggles. Chen couldn’t make it through five full innings and Gonzalez struggled with command, walking five batters.
Yes, one start doesn’t define a pitcher’s season at all. However, this is a rotation that has Gausman knocking on the door and any type of struggle from the other guys instantly brings “Gas Man” into our minds.
This is the perfect time for Jimenez to shine following those underwhelming starts, because he can show that he belongs in the rotation. He is slated to pitch against Aaron Sanchez and the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.
Jimenez showed improvement at the end of Spring Training, finishing with 15 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB and 11 K in his last three starts, according to MLB.com.
The biggest concern with Jimenez is his control, which he struggled mightily with last season with the Orioles. He constantly fell behind hitters and looked to lose confidence with every pitch.
He kept control in his final three spring starts though, walking just two batters, and it looked like he was pitching with more confidence. Jimenez will need that type of confidence and control in order to be successful against a tough Toronto lineup.
A fair goal for Jimenez would be pitching through six innings and giving up two runs or less. It will all stem from how many walks he has in the game and if he starts out wild at the beginning of the first inning. He has shown the tendency to pitch better in the later innings when he gets into a groove and his fastball has life to it. However, he’ll need to get through the lineup once before he can settle in.
A solid appearance from Jimenez would put the pressure on Gonzalez, Chen and Friday’s starter, Bud Norris to pitch better as it’s just a matter of when, not if, Gausman joins the rotation. Jimenez is going to get his chances with that contract and he’ll do everyone a favor by pitching up to it.
Fans will be holding their breath when Jimenez takes the mound on Saturday, but he has the ability to help solidify his spot in the rotation if he has a quality start.
