Another early deficit courtesy of Corbin, another Jays loss

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The clock may be running out on Patrick Corbin.

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Fifteen starts into his Blue Jays tenure, having been pulled back out of semi-retirement when the Jays found themselves suddenly lacking in starting pitching, the 36-year-old left-hander is no longer giving his team much of a chance.

As the fifth starter, the expectations aren’t terribly high for Corbin, but his stats on Friday (4 1/3 innings, five runs, all earned) in an eventual 5-4 Jays loss to the Texas Rangers are not meeting even the lowest of expectations.

The early deficit Corbin put the Jays in seemed more than enough for the Rangers, until the visitors went into their bullpen and gave back four of the five-run lead in the eighth. A two-run single from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed by a two-run homer (his 19th of the season) from Kazuma Okamoto got the Jays within a run after eight innings.

But in the ninth inning, facing Rangers closer Jacob Latz, the best the Jays could do was a walk as they came up just short for the second day in a row.

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For Corbin, it marked the fourth straight game where he failed to complete five innings. In those four games he has allowed a total of 15 earned runs for an ERA of 9.20.

The Jays are by no means flush in starting pitching right now, but they do have Max Scherzer working his way back to health and as iffy as banking on that sounds, given his health track record of late, it still has to be better than putting yourself in a multiple-run deficit every fifth day right from the hop.

In fairness, Corbin’s struggles are much more pronounced over these past half dozen or so starts.

He’s had moments where he has more than held his own and kept the Jays in the game, it’s just that not many of those have come recently.

Friday night, Corbin gave up three runs in the first inning on three singles, a double and a hit batter.

In the third, he gave up two more runs, walking Jake Burger ahead of Justin Foscue’s fifth homer of the year.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider pulled Corbin the next time Burger’s spot in the order came up, which was one out into the fifth inning.

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Toronto’s offence was no match for veteran Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who didn’t allow the Jays much of anything until the sixth and seventh innings. The Blue Jays put two runners on with one out in each inning, but failed to score both times.

Eovaldi wound up going seven scoreless innings for his eighth win of the year against seven losses.

There’s no question Corbin provides some security in another starting arm that is already stretched out, but at some point the Jays are going to have to ask themselves if they are not better served with someone else taking the mound every fifth day.

MORE POWER ON THE WAY?

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, there’s a power infusion on the way to Toronto.

The Jays 2024 fourth round pick and No. 14 on the Jays prospect chart, infielder Sean Keys, is on his way to Toronto to join the Jays this weekend.

The Jays aren’t confirming the imminent arrival, but when outfielder George Springer makes a temporary exit for an expected paternity leave in the coming days, the Keys move will become official.

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Keys would fill Springer’s spot on the roster, allowing him an early look at the game at the big league level and let Jays management get a gauge of how soon Keys could be ready for a longer stint with the club (paternity leaves at the Major League level are three days).

While not confirming the arrival, Schneider was more than happy to talk about Keys, who got to spend a little more time than he normally would and get a few more at-bats than expected during spring training with various Jays away for the World Baseball Classic.

“Good player,” Schneider said. “The power is real. The offence has been really good. He’s been playing a little first and third and has definitely put himself on the radar for sure in terms of what he’s doing offensively, 21 homers is 21 homers and adjusting to a new level is real.”

With Springer as the Jays primary DH this season, there will be opportunities to get Keys at bats if that is what Schneider wants and even to spell his corner infielders.

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It’s not like the Jays couldn’t use a little more pop in their lineup these days.

SHORT STAY

Simeon Woods Richardson did not give up an earned run over his three appearances as a Blue Jay this season, but that didn’t save him.

The former Blue Jay turned Blue Jays again earlier this year was designated for assignment Friday with left-hander Adam Macko returning from triple-A Buffalo to add a second lefty to the bullpen joining Mason Fluharty.

Woods Richardson arrived with a 7.74 ERA after being let go by the Minnesota Twins and was immediately moved into a long-man role in the Jays bullpen.

In three appearances over 10 innings, Woods Richardson gave up four hits but also walked seven while somehow not giving up a run.

Schneider applauded Woods Richardson’s ability to provide the Jays some length in their bullpen when they were in desperate need of it. He also complimented him on his professionalism knowing the news, while not great for him personally, is just part of the business.

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The Jays’ bullpen was better suited with a second lefty than the length he had been providing.

The likelihood is Woods Richardson gets picked up off waivers by another club but in the event he clears and remains a member of the Jays organization, Schneider would like to see him get some consistent work at Buffalo as a starter giving the team another option should the injury bug again take a bite out of Toronto’s starting rotation.

QUICK HITS

OF Addison Barger, out since May 10 with right elbow inflammation, was back at the Rogers Centre Friday but only for a short while. The Jays want a first-hand look at him before deciding when to send him out on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

The Jays turn to right-hander Dylan Cease (4-3, 2.75) as they try to get back on the winning side of things. The Rangers have not decided on a starter for Saturday’s 3:07 meeting.

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