Blue Jays president: 'Hard to see' Pearson starting season in rotation

Prized pitching prospect Nate Pearson appears unlikely to start the 2021 season in the Toronto Blue Jays' rotation.

Pearson was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of his right groin March 4. While it's possible the right-hander could recover before Opening Day, team president Mark Shapiro admitted Tuesday that the scenario is "hard to see" considering recovery timelines, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith.

If Pearson isn't ready to go, right-hander Ross Stripling will take his spot in the rotation, Shapiro added.

The Blue Jays intend to be cautious with their top-ranked prospect, who was expected to crack the rotation before suffering his injury.

"Our goal and hope is that you're seeing him again here in spring training pretty quickly," general manager Ross Atkins said last week following Pearson's injury, according to Sportsnet.

"But we will be cautious because we can and we'll make sure that that pain is completely gone before he's back on the mound. Whether that's a week or a couple of weeks or longer is too hard to say at this point."

Pearson appeared in five games - four starts - for the Blue Jays last season, authoring a 6.00 ERA with 13 walks and 16 strikeouts in 18 innings. He dominated minor-league competition the year before, striking out 119 in 101 2/3 frames.