Major League Baseball

Blue Jays promote RHP Kyle Drabek

Published Sep. 12, 2010 6:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Blue Jays called up right-hander Kyle Drabek from Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday and the prized prospect will make his major league debut at Baltimore on Wednesday.

Drabek, the son of former NL Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, was one of three players acquired by Toronto in last December's trade that sent right-hander Roy Halladay to Philadelphia. He went 14-9 with a 2.94 ERA in 27 starts at Double-A this season, including a no-hitter against New Britain on July 4. He struck out 132 batters in 162 innings.

''We think Kyle is going to be a factor for us in the rotation and we think he's going to be able to compete for a starting job next season in spring training,'' general manager Alex Anthopoulos said.

Drabek will start in place of left-hander Brett Cecil, who gave up seven runs and eight hits in two innings in his last start, Friday against Tampa Bay. Toronto is off Thursday, giving Cecil two extra days of rest before his next start.

Anthopoulos said Drabek, a first round pick in 2006, will make three starts for the Blue Jays. His other opponents with be Seattle on Sept. 22 and the New York Yankees on Sept. 28, both at home.

Toronto will use a six-man rotation for the remainder of the season, which Anthopoulos said ''could also limit some of the other guys and hopefully avoid us having to shut anybody else down.''

Right-hander Brandon Morrow, who is in his first full season as a starter, was shut down after his Sept. 3 start at New York because he had reached his innings limit for the year.