According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, who spoke with Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo Wednesday, Clayton Richard is being brought “along slowly”. Montoyo “anticipates that he’ll get into a game next week”.
As of right now, the Blue Jays are scheduled to play six games, with Friday, March 8 featuring a split-squad game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Previously, general manager Ross Atkins said to reporters (including Blue Jays broadcaster Ben Wagner) that he has been “extremely impressed” with Richard and fellow starter Matt Shoemaker.
#BlueJays are bringing Clayton Richard along slowly as he recovers from season-ending knee surgery but manager Charlie Montoyo anticipates that he’ll get into a game next week
Richard expected to open season in Jays’ rotation
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) February 27, 2019
Nicholson-Smith also added what Atkins had previously mentioned earlier this spring: the fact that Richard will most likely open the season in the Blue Jays rotation, joining Shoemaker, Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman, and one of Ryan Borucki, Sam Gaviglio or Thomas Pannone.