John Gibbons makes it official. The Blue Jays starting rotation will be:

J.A. Happ (opening day starter)

Aaron Sanchez

Marco Estrada

Marcus Stroman

Jaime Garcia pic.twitter.com/zEvZdEvVyN

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) March 20, 2018

Source  –  J.A. Happ has started 228 games in the big-leagues, but never before on opening day. That’ll change on March 29, as manager John Gibbons officially named Happ the ‘ opening day starter Tuesday.

“Happ, since we’ve brought him back, he’s really, really been good,” Gibbons said. “He’s just a reliable guy. He’s going to go out there and nine times out of 10 he’s going to give you a chance to win. That’s all you can ask for. He’s really turned into a good workhorse for us. He’s one of those guys you look forward to the days he pitches.”

Happ posted a 3.53 ERA over 145.1 innings last year, his fifth total season with the Blue Jays. He becomes the club’s fifth different opening day starter in the last five years, joining Marco Estrada (2017), Marcus Stroman (2016), Drew Hutchison (2014) and R.A. Dickey (2013).

“It’d be great,” Happ said Monday. “I’d be honored to take the ball.

Meh.  Who cares.  It’s the other 161 games I’m worried about.   To be truthful, I’m worried about one thing when it comes to the Jays rotation.  Marcus Stroman.  And it has less to do with his performance and more to do with him not being a petulant little twitter asshole and his toxic relationship with Aaron Sanchez.

The friction between Stroman and Sanchez has been more than a rumor and is a major distraction for the rest of the club as they head into an uncertain 2018.

When asked about the rumors of the rift between Sanchez and Stro, Sanchez’s dad said: “There’s something there for sure…”

What that something is was anyone’s guess until confirmed recently by sources with the Blue Jays.

“I don’t think they talk unless they have too.  Sometimes they walk by each other, and the room gets quiet because of their mutual tension.”

Rumors of their rift have led to rumors of trades.

“If you’re going to deal one of those guys for the sake of team chemistry you won’t be dealing Aaron.  I think the plan is to see where they are come late summer and make a decision based on the long-term best interest of the club.”

Stroman’s bitching after losing his arb case while getting a 3 million dollar raise was something we could all relate too right?

“Lost arbitration case. Is what it is. Looking forward to going out and dealing again. The negative things that were said against me, by my own team, will never leave my mind. I’m thick-skinned so it will only fuel the fire. Can’t wait for this year #HDMH,” Stroman said in his first of numerous tweets, which was deleted soon after.

If you were asking for a 110 percent raise and only got 100 percent raise, I’m sure it would make you apoplectic too.

And If Stroman indeed has “Thick Skin” he certainly doesn’t act like it.  In the words of former Blue Jay David Price “if you don’t like it, pitch better.”

And stop bitching about how short you are.  We get it, dickhead.  Just go out and pitch.