TORONTO — After spending time in Bulgaria as part of a NATO joint effort to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine, right-handed Blue Jays pitcher Chris Rowley isn’t at all intimidated about making his Major League start on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“They’re probably different,” Rowley said on Friday when asked to compare the stress of being on active duty with the U.S. Army and making your MLB debut. “Maybe comparable in terms of stress level, but it’s definitely going to be a different type of stress.”
The Blue Jays called up the 26-year-old from triple-A Buffalo to fill a hole in their rotation left by the injuries to Aaron Sanchez (right middle finger) and Cesar Valdez (shoulder impingement).