Max Scherzer good to go, camp sensation Alan Roden in as Blue Jays finalize opening day roster

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The flight plan is in place for the Blue Jays, who were scheduled to jet north to Toronto following Sunday’s Grapefruit League finale in Dunedin.

And now the passenger list is confirmed.

Manager John Schneider put the finishing pieces together for his opening-day roster — which will take to field on Thursday at the Rogers Centre against the Baltimore Orioles — announcing a final round of cuts and additions on Sunday.

Of note, spring-training sensation Alan Roden, as well as Will Wagner, Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes were told that they had made the opening-day roster and would join the charter ride to Pearson International.

The most notable final cut was infielder Addison Barger.

And then in a mid-game, on-camera interview with Sportsnet on Sunday, Schneider confirmed that Max Scherzer’s thumb issues have abated enough that he will be ready to start the season in the third spot of the rotation.

As well, the manager filled out the remainder of the roster, dropping the news that Jacob Barnes and Richard Lovelady would be the final two additions to the bullpen.

If there was a mild surprise it was the cut of Barger, who was batting .367 in the spring and was one of the team’s better hitters. But there weren’t many options for him defensively and he’ll head back to triple-A Buffalo where, if he performs, will loom as the next man up.

Straw didn’t exactly attract much positive fanfare when the Jays traded for him to free up international bonus pool money while in pursuit of Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. But he’s quietly had a strong spring and his defensive prowess makes him a timely addition, at least, as centre fielder Daulton Varsho begins the season on the injured list.

Wagner, who had a hustling double in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dunedin, looms as a versatile addition in that Schneider has the flexibility to use him at first or third base as well as designated hitter. In other words, the Jays will want to get his left-handed bat in the lineup as often as possible.

Schneider, meanwhile, raved about the potential influence of Roden, a third-round selection of the Jays in the 2022 draft.

“He’s the epitome of what we’re trying to do in the minor-league system,” Schneider told Buck Martinez and Dan Shulman. “I really think he can be an impact player for us for a long period of time. Fans are going to like the way he plays. He plays hard.”

Roden, also a lefty, went 11-for-27 (.407) in the spring games with a couple of home runs and only four strikeouts against four walks.

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With Sunday’s announcements and the evening charter set to fly, the Jays are set to start the season.
Here’s a look at the 26-man roster:

♦ Catchers —Alejandro Kirk, fresh off his five-year, $58-million US extension agreed to on Saturday night, will be expected to be behind the plate for 110-plus games. Tyler Heineman will back him up.

♦ Infield — Vlad Guerrero Jr., at first, Andres Gimenez (2nd), Bo Bichette (shortstop) Ernie Clement and Wagner (third.)

♦ Outfield — Anthony Santander (mostly left), Straw (centre), George Springer (right) with Lukes, Roden and Davis Schneider as depth.

♦ Rotation (in order) — Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis.

♦ Bullpen — Jeff Hoffman (closer), Yimi Garcia and Chad Green as latae-inning setup men, Brendon Little, Nick Sandlin, Barnes and Lovelady with Yariel Rodriguez as the long reliever.

In Sunday’s Grapefruit League wrapup, Clement scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch in the second inning after Lukes singled home the first Jays run.

Bassitt went 5.2 innings, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out four.

For what it’s worth, the Jays finished the spring schedule with an 18-10 record, which was tops among all Grapefruit League teams, and second best percentage-wise in the majors, behind only the San Francisco Giants (19-6).