Pearson returns to Blue Jays with low expectations and high hopes

Top prospect spotlight has turned towards Tiedemann

In the hours prior to Monday’s first game of the home series against the White Sox, righthander Nate Pearson rejoined the major-league Blue Jays’ at Rogers Centre. He joined not as a hotshot Top 100 prospect ready to set the major-league world on fire, but as a 26-year-old middle-inning replacement for injured righthander Adam Cimber. However, unlike with his previous two opportunities in 2020 and 2021, he entered the clubhouse finally at peace and confident.

“I think I’m just at peace with being up here in Toronto and helping the team win,” Pearson offered up, following batting practice on Tuesday.

Making his first MLB appearance since Oct. 3, 2021 vs. the Orioles, later that night, Pearson pitched a shutout inning in relief of Jose Berrios in a 7-0 Jays win, hitting a batter to lead off and striking out one to end it, with a fastball sitting between 97-99 m.p.h.

At one time, when drafted by the Jays in the first round (28^th overall) of the 2017 draft, the 6-6, 255 lb. righthander was as can’t miss as Crypto. The Florida native threw 100 m.p.h. when 100 was the gold standard for young prospects. It wasn’t if he would arrive, it was when. But, in the years since 2018, fate, injuries and Covid-19 all have reared their ugly heads in a series of unfortunate events and Pearson’s can’t-miss tag was trampled like an unaware tourist crossing the street in Pamplona, run over by a stampede of bullish, younger prospects -- RH Alek Manoah, already in his third year, and LH Ricky Tiedemann, currently starting at Double-A New Hampshire.

“Definitely coming to spring training, my first big league camp there was a lot of hype, a lot of attention,” Pearson admitted. “I talked to Tiedemann (this spring) and I said, ‘Hey man, if you need anything, if you have any questions, I’ve been through it. I was there. Just reach out whenever.’ We talked a little bit throughout spring training. He’s going to be really good for a long time and the Jays know what they’re doing with him.”

For the first time in his career, Pearson came to Jays training camp accepting of his potential major-league role in relief. Not that he would ever refuse the chance to be in a rotation again, but a two-month relief stint with Licey in the Dominican Winter League opened his eyes to what it was like do the job with the main pressure coming from competition, not expectation.

“It’s definitely different than the (Arizona Fall League),” Pearson said comparing MLB’s invented frat house of development, to the madhouse of winter ball. “The AFL is more about prospects, but you’re not really focused on the winning aspect there. In winter ball you’re trying to win every game. It’s a short season and the environments are insane.

“The crowd really gets into it. In the leverage situations, there’s a lot of pressure and it’s really intense, so being able to pitch there and being a leverage guy for Licey was an awesome experience, something I could carry over into being in the big leagues. It was definitely different down there. I was just a normal guy. Just one of the guys.”

That sense of relief re the role of relief carried over into the spring, where Pearson’s stuff may have been better than his pitching line for his Grapefruit League stints, but that didn’t bother him because he has matured into an “I-control-what-I-can-control” type of pitcher.   

“I’ve just been thinking about how I’m getting my opportunity in April here and I plan to be here the rest of the year, compete with these guys and help win a World Series,” Nate shrugged. “This was really my only thing coming to the spring. Try to win a spot on the team. That didn’t happen, but I did what I needed to do at Triple-A to show them that I want to be up here, I want to help out. That’s exactly what happened.”

Transitioning to the bullpen from a career starting role these days is not necessarily the sign of failure that it used to be. Even in the past, players like Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz have made the change with Hall-of-Fame results, while his current teammate, Jordan Romano, was a solid minor-league starter. He and Romano have discussed that exact fact.

“We were talking about that (Monday),” Pearson said. “How the mentality of being a starter is like the mentality of being a reliever and how we both really took to the relief role. Not that it’s simpler, but it’s a different focus. It’s a narrower focus.

“On one hand as a starter you’re going out there every five days saying, alright, I’ve got to pitch six (innings). Coming out of the bullpen, you’re going okay, I’ve got to get this first guy out. Then the next. That’s all I’m worried about. That’s all I’m focused on.”   

If Pearson can perform with the effectiveness of which the team believes he is capable, then when Cimber returns to health there will be a difficult decision. Over 162 games these things often have a way of taking care of themselves, either via injury or contra-performance. But for now, Pearson is enjoying the moment.