Dustin McGowan will begin the season in the bullpen. McGowan successfully lobbied to be stretched out as a starter in spring training, but Toronto is apparently not willing to risk injury to the brittle right-hander by asking him to carry a starting load. The Blue Jays may elect to use him as a long reliever. "He's kind of in limbo there; we want to be able to stretch him out anyway," manager John Gibbons said when asked if McGowan had been eliminated from consideration for a starting spot. "If he's in the 'pen for multiple innings that would benefit us quite a bit down there. We know he can do two. If he can do three, that would do wonders for us."