Two Pitchers To Compete This Spring For Blue Jays Fifth Starter Job

It'll be between these two pitchers for the Toronto Blue Jays' fifth starter job this spring.

Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White will compete this spring to be the Blue Jays' fifth starter.

Here’s a few pitches from a (bearded) Yusei Kikuchi #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/popgXaOcPk

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) February 13, 2023

Kikuchi is the favorite to secure the role in the Blue Jays' season-opening rotation, but White will be given a chance to earn the role as well.

Last season, Kikuchi posted a brutal 5.19 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 124 strikeouts over 100.2 innings of work. He made 20 starts and 12 relief appearances.

White came over to the Blue Jays from the Los Angeles Dodgers last season at the trade deadline.

Over eight starts and two relief appearances, White posted an ugly 7.74 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, with 31 strikeouts across 43 innings of work.

There's also the question of what the Jays will do once Hyun Jin Ryu is ready to return sometime around July. 
Photo Credit:  Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports