Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos addressed the Toronto media today and announced the team has tentatively mapped out the rehab assignment, including the season debut for Marcus Stroman.
After throwing his simulated game today, he will make a rehab assignment with Single-A Lansing on September 2 and then with Triple-A Buffalo on September 7. If all goes well, he will start against the New York Yankees in New York on September 12.
That would be an incredibly anticipated season debut in front of his hometown fans and it will certainly carry playoff implications.
He made three starts against the Yankees last year. His first came on June 17 against Masahiro Tanaka, in which he struggled through 3.2 innings, allowing two ER and throwing 98 pitches. He responded with a stellar 8 inning outing, allowing just one ER in his next outing six days later.
In the third outing, he pitched in New York once again, allowing two ER over 6 IP on September 20 in New York to improve to 11-6 and lower his ERA to 3.77. He struck out seven and walked none.
The Jays currently lead the AL East by 2.0 games over the Yankees.
Stroman suffered a torn ACL during Spring Training on March 10. He rehabbed at Duke University and has progressed much quicker than the average athlete.
