Opponents are just 12 for 64 against Cecil during that run and he’s been able to focus on getting batters out instead of the closer’s job he lost. Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
ARLINGTON, Texas — Left-hander Brett Cecil has turned a negative into a big positive in the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen.
Cecil went through an awful stretch in June, going through a five-game run in which he allowed nine runs despite the fact he was able to earn three saves. That streak ended any chance of Cecil becoming the team’s closer, a role that rookie Roberto Osuna has a firm grip on now.
But with Cecil in a slump and his ERA at 5.96, instead of regressing, he went on a run that hasn’t stopped. He’s gone 21 games since then without allowing a run to lower his ERA to 3.29.
“I think he’s doing a better job of locating the fastball,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “His breaking ball he’s throwing more for strikes now than he was early in the season.
“He’d bounce a lot and he’d still always get a long of swings. His fastball early on was always up, out over the plate. There’s no difference in his stuff. He’s just locating.”
And missing a lot of bats too. Opponents are just 12 for 64 against Cecil during that run and he’s been able to focus on getting batters out instead of the closer’s job he lost.
“He’s been good for us in the past,” Gibbons said. “We talked about him in spring training. He didn’t have much of a spring training and then he was going to be the closer. Now he’s got some innings under his belt. That’s all he needed.”
