Drew Hutchison of the Toronto Blue Jays salutes the fans.Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
Back on April 6, Drew Hutchison had the honour of being the opening-day pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays against the New York Yankees.
On Monday, as the Blue Jays continue their spirited joust with the Yankees for first place in the American League East, the young right-hander learned he was being demoted to Toronto's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.
The move, while not really surprising, underscores the ruthlessness of the game as the Blue Jays adhere to a win-at-all-costs mantra with just six weeks left in the regular season.
With the roster shakeup, Toronto is electing to employ a four-man rotation for the next couple of weeks.
It is a luxury they can afford because they are entering a phase in the schedule in which they are playing eight games over the next 10 days.
"We have a bunch of off-days and don't need a fifth starter on this trip," was the succinct explanation that general manager Alex Anthopoulos provided in a text message when asked for a comment.
Hutchison's was not the only roster move the Blue Jays made on Monday.
The club also recalled infielder Matt Hague from the Bisons to fill the roster spot that opened up after Sunday's game when reliever Aaron Loup was optioned to the Triple-A club.
The Blue Jays will make a corresponding move to fill Hutchison's spot on the roster on Tuesday.
One report suggested that that player will be outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, who has already appeared in 70 games this season for Toronto.
Anthopoulos texted that he can't confirm any roster moves until the club announces it officially.
Hague, 30, is leading the International League with a .348 batting average, 83 runs batted in and a .427 on-base percentage.
A right-handed hitter who can play first or third base, Hague will provide another option off the bench for manager John Gibbons.
Monday was a travel day for Toronto, which is embarking on an eight-game road trip, beginning here on Tuesday with the first of a two-game set against the Phillies.
Toronto started the day in second place in the AL East with a record of 65-54, just a half-game behind the Yankees.
The Blue Jays were also leading the wild-card playoff race by 3-1/2 games.
After playing two in Philadelphia, the Blue Jays have an off-day on Thursday and will then head west for a three-game weekend showdown against the Los Angeles Angels, beginning on Friday.
The Blue Jays have another off-day on Aug. 24 before heading into Texas for a three-game set against the Rangers to wind up the road journey.
Hutchison, who turns 25 on Saturday, sports a 12-2 record with a 5.06 in 24 starts for Toronto this season. Taken at face value, those numbers do not seem that troublesome.
The right-hander has won his past two outings, including a 3-1 victory over the Yankees in Toronto on Sunday.
However, a closer look at Hutchison's year reveals a huge differential in his effectiveness at home and on the road.
At Rogers Centre, Hutchison is 10-1 with a 2.57 earned run average. On the road, Hutchison is 2-1 with a gaudy 9.00 ERA in 11 starts.
Hutchison's win-loss record would undoubtedly be worse were it not for the fact that the Blue Jays have provided him with an average of 6.71 runs in games he has started, the best support among MLB starters.
With the Blue Jays starting a road trip with a couple of off-days mixed in, they believe their best chance of winning will come with a four-man rotation.
The thinking is that by sending Hutchison to Triple-A, he will continue to pitch on a regular basis, work on some things, stay sharp and be ready to return when Toronto goes home on Aug. 28 to play the Detroit Tigers.
Anthopoulos said he did not anticipate that Hutchison's minor league demotion would be a long one.
R.A. Dickey will get the start for Toronto in the first game against the Phillies, with Mark Buehrle going on Wednesday.
For Friday's first game against the Angels, the Blue Jays will go with ace David Price, followed by Marco Estrada on Saturday.
The Blue Jays have not yet said who will start in Sunday's game against the Angels in place of Hutchison, but it likely will fall to Dickey working on regular rest.
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Jays open road trip with stop in Philadelphia
The Toronto Blue Jays begin an eight-game road trip on Tuesday in Philadelphia with the first of two games against the Phillies. Although the Phillies have the worst record in the National League (46-72), they are not the soft touch they were earlier in the season. Since the all-star break, the Phillies have posted a record of 17-10 which, heading into play on Monday, was the fourth-best mark among NL teams over that period. The Blue Jays have seen their starting pitching take them to new heights. With their 3-1 win over the Yankees on Sunday behind a solid outing by Drew Hutchison, Jays starters have now allowed three earned runs or fewer in 20 consecutive games, a franchise high. The offence has hit a bit of a bump in the road, having scored in just one inning in each of their past four games.
Aug. 17, 7:05 p.m. (EST). Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (3-1, 4.25) vs. Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey (7-10, 3.96).
Aug. 18, 7:05 p.m. (EST). Philadelphia Adam Morgan (3-4, 4.11) vs. LPH Mark Buehrle (13-5, 3.31).
All games at Citizens Bank Park.