"The main group of players have had strong starts to their spring, particularly Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement, and Kazuma Okamoto, who've each been scalding the ball regularly in the early days. On the pitching front, Cody Ponce pitched an inning over in Lakeland earlier last week and looked sharp, as did Dylan Cease in his spring debut this past Saturday against the Phillies - punching out three in 1 2/3 innings while hitting 99 on the gun with his heater."
"There are very few areas on this roster where jobs are up for grabs, with the bullpen offering the most opportunity on that front. To that end, the two Rule 5 guys - Angel Bastardo and Spencer Miles - have a chance to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster with strong showings."
"Angel Bastardo is a 23-year-old right-hander who was signed out of Morón, Venezuela as an International Free Agent by the Boston Red Sox in July of 2018. He spent parts of four seasons in the Red Sox minor league system (all as a starter) before going under the knife for Tommy John Surgery in the summer of 2024."
The Blue Jays begin their spring training season with a 2-6-1 record through nine games, though the primary focus remains player health. Several key position players have started strong, including Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement, and Kazuma Okamoto, who are hitting consistently. On the pitching side, Cody Ponce and Dylan Cease have impressed in their early appearances, with Cease striking out three batters while throwing 99 mph fastballs. The bullpen represents the main area where roster competition exists, particularly for Rule 5 draft picks Angel Bastardo and Spencer Miles, who have opportunities to earn Opening Day positions. Bastardo currently holds the advantage in this competition.
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