SPORTS

Brett Cecil rejoins Blue Jays bullpen after stint on disabled list

Ryan McKenna The Canadian Press
Published Thursday, June 30, 2016 3:17PM EDT Last Updated Thursday, June 30, 2016 7:06PM EDT

Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Brett Cecil throws in the seventh inning of an exhibition baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Dunedin, Fla. on March 26, 2015. (AP / Kathy Willens)

Text:

TORONTO -- Brett Cecil wasn't overly positive when assessing Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen performance so far this year.

"Not very good," he said. "How would you describe it? I mean, including myself, I'm not pointing anybody out. (Joe) Biagini and (Roberto) Osuna have been really consistent, Chavy (Jesse Chavez) has been really good, I've been OK at times."

"But I think overall, I would describe it as a D, D+."

Cecil hopes he'll be able to give the struggling Jays bullpen a boost after a prolonged absence. The left-handed reliever was activated off the disabled list on Thursday in time for Toronto's series opener against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre.

"I'm happy to be back, everything's feeling good," Cecil said. "A lot more confident than I was earlier in the season and I've got my curveball back to where it needs to be so it's a lot better, a lot sharper."

He'll try to help a Toronto bullpen which has a 4.38 earned-run average, fourth-worst in the American League.

The 29-year-old Cecil started the season 0-5 with a 5.23 ERA in 16 appearances before landing on the disabled list on May 15 with a muscle strain in his left arm.

Cecil's soreness in his left triceps occurred in the seven-pitch outing -- a 6-5 loss on May 14 -- when he threw 2/3 of an inning against the Texas Rangers.

Having Cecil back is a welcome sight for Blue Jays manager John Gibbons.

"When you look at the way the team was put together coming into the season, he was one of the key guys," Gibbons said. "You look at what he did last year, especially the second half of the season, I mean, he was arguably the best reliever in baseball."

"We need him to come back strong and I think he will and it would do wonders for us."

Cecil made the American League all-star team in 2013 and was stellar for last season's American League East winning Blue Jays, appearing in 63 games and posting a 2.48 ERA and 0.96 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched).

The Jays optioned reliever Ryan Tepera in a corresponding move. Tepera appeared in five games for Toronto this season and is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA.

Gibbons says that the team needs Cecil and that he'll be put in a valuable role. He adds that Cecil wont be eased into action and will be used right away.

"No that's why he's here, he's healthy, he's performed all along, we need him."