Veteran lefty stopper B.J. Ryan appears to be all the way back for the Blue Jays. He has been cleared to pitch on back to back nights by doctors for the first time in two years due to his recovery from Tommy John Surgery. Ryan has pitched in 16 games this season and he is 1-0 with 11 saves, a 0.56 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Ryan has only allowed 11 hits while whiffing 20 batters in only 16 innings which is pretty darn awesome. If the Blue Jays ever start hitting the ball they will win a ton of games because of their pitching staff.

Forget all of the Yankees and Red Sox hype about their young pitchers as Shaun Marcum is better than any of them. He has started 10 games for the Blue Jays this season and he is 4-3 with a 2.80 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. He has whiffed 59 batters and allowed only 36 hits in 64.1 innings this season. It’s too bad the Blue Jays’ offense sometimes takes days off when Marcum is pitching because he should have a couple of more wins already. He might get to start the All Star Game if he keeps pitching like he is right now.

B.J. Ryan has finally been cleared to pitch back to back days so he should take back over as the full time closer of the Blue Jays. Ryan has pitched in 8 games this season for the Blue Jays and he is 0-0 with 5 saves, a 0.00 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. His WHIP is so high because he has walked 6 batters in only 8 innings while whiffing 10 batters. Look for Ryan to do a great job as the closer for the Jays just like he did two years ago.

27-year old lefty Jesse Carlson has bursted onto the scene this season as a rookie. He has pitched in 14 games for the Blue Jays so far this season and he is 1-0 with 1 save, a 1.23 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. Carlson has struck out 18 batters in only 14.2 innings so far this season. Carlson will be a very valuable part of a very deep bullpen if he keeps up the good work.

Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum are proving that last season was not a fluke. While baseball writers keep blabbing about Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Caly Buchholz and John Lester all McGowan and Marcum keep doing is win baseball games. Both of them have great stuff and they will earn respect very soon. McGowan has started 4 games this season and he is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. He also has whiffed 17 batters in 24 innings. Shaun Marcum has started 3 games for the Jays this season and he is 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Marcum has already whiffed 20 batters in 20.2 innings. With the starting rotation the Blue Jays have they will likely compete for the American League East Crown. They are currently in third place in the A.L. East with a 10-9 record, 2.5 games behind the Red Sox.