People wait for the launch of the Toronto Blue Jays new uniforms with a familiar look that connects the past with the future in Toronto on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011.The Canadian Press
Left-hander Sean Nolin is to make his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, against the Baltimore Orioles, with right-hander Chad Jenkins pushed to Sunday from Friday in the series finale.
Nolin, a sixth-round draft choice in 2010, came off the disabled list (groin) to go 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three appearances for Double-A New Hampshire. He's struck out 16 hitters in 15-1/3 innings.
At High-A Dunedin last season, Nolin went 9-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 17 games.
"The kid always wins, wherever he goes," said Toronto manager John Gibbons. "He has a good feel for the ball, a good idea of what he's doing out there."
Nolin grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and attended San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Tex., twice being drafted in late rounds by Milwaukee and Seattle before signing with Toronto.
The Jays will need to make room on the 40-man roster to add Nolin. Ramon Ortiz, rocked by the Tampa Bay Rays this week, is being bumped from Sunday's scheduled start in favour of Jenkins who hasn't pitched since defeating the Red Sox on May 12, in his lone appearance for the Jays to date this season.
"We want to give him a shot at doing it, see what we've got," Gibbon said, of Jenkins.
Josh Johnson (triceps), a regular member of the rotation, is scheduled to make a rehabilitation start for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday and at present, the Blue Jays expect him to make one more after that before rejoining the team.