Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Brett Cecil jumps over Texas Rangers’ Mike Napoli after tagging him out during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS.Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail
The Toronto Blue Jays may have lost a marquee arm in their bullpen along with the 14-inning heartbreaker on Friday night.
The status of relief pitcher Brett Cecil is uncertain after he suffered what manager John Gibbons called a "significant calf tear" in the eighth inning of Toronto's 6-4 loss to the Texas Rangers. Now down 0-2 and facing elimination as their American League Division Series heads to Arlington, Tex., Cecil may be unable to help the Jays dig out of their hole.
Cecil injured his calf while tagging Ranger Mike Napoli in a run-down between first and second during his relief stint in the eighth inning. The reliever immediately pulled up with leg soreness and slowly hobbled off the field with the help of a trainer.
"It's not good," Gibbons said after the game.
A Blue Jays media-relations representative said Cecil would not talk to reporters in the clubhouse Friday night. There were crutches near his locker as he dressed.
Because the Rangers lineup is loaded with left-handed hitters, the lefty reliever was projected to play a crucial role in the series.
Cecil was one of eight pitchers used in the 14-inning marathon, which spanned nearly five hours.
The injury comes at a time when Cecil was pitching extremely well. The recognizable 29-year-old with the signature glasses finished the regular season by allowing zero earned runs with 44 strikeouts in his final 33 outings.
"That hurts. He's been our best pitcher since I've been here," reliever LaTroy Hawkins said. "It's going to be tough to replace him. A torn calf? Geez, that's not good at all. But we've got another good lefty out there in [Aaron] Loup. He's pitched in some big situations."
Loup wasn't even sure he would make the playoff roster until it was selected earlier this week. After an outstanding 2014 season in the bullpen, he struggled much of this season. Now, he may get a shot at redemption. He came in to face two hitters in the 11th and 12th innings Friday, forcing both to fly out.
Gibbons was asked if Loup would be ready to answer the call if Cecil can't pitch when the series resumes Sunday in Arlington.
"Yeah, he's going to have to," Gibbons said of Loup. "We got our back against the wall anyway, but they can run so many good left-handed hitters out there, otherwise you're naked if he doesn't come through for us. He deserves a shot. He's been a big reliever around here for a couple years. This year was kind of an up and down year – he kind of got lost in the shuffle, but perfect opportunity to kind of bounce back."
Rachel Brady