Rookie Romero gets start in Jays' final game of year

And so it comes down to this.

Fans in Detroit and Minnesota likely woke up Sunday morning with knots in their stomachs thinking of the division title their clubs could win a few hours later.

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays (75-86), meanwhile, have a final game that means nothing on their plates.

Unless, perhaps, you happen to be starting pitcher Ricky Romero, who is about the only player going to breakfast in Baltimore with something significant to do.

The Jays' rookie lefty comes into his last start of the season with a 13-9 mark and two goals ahead for his 1 p.m. ET start.

First, he can tie reliever Mark Eichorn's 1986 mark of 14 for most wins by a rookie Blue Jays pitcher. And he can pull even with Detroit's Rick Porcello at 14-9 for the American League lead in wins among freshman hurlers.

This may have been a disappointing season for most of those in the Toronto clubhouse, but Romero has something to take away from Baltimore other than great seafood and an apparent minor clubhouse mutiny.

"Who knows what's going to happen with us in the future," Romero told the Jays' website. "You just try to enjoy it as much as possible, just go out there and have fun."

Not much fun for anyone this weekend, as the Jays fired general manager J.P. Ricciardi and had to deal with some players upset with bench boss Cito Gaston's style.

Roller-coaster ride

For Romero it's been a typical rookie season in many ways.

The Los Angeles native has been up and down, winning five in a row in the early summer but going 3-8 over his last 11 decisions while putting together a 4.26 earned-run average. A solid effort in Boston last time out helped put a positive spin on the end of the year.

Baltimore (63-98) runs out Jeremy Guthrie (10-17, 5.05 ERA), who even with a victory will finish with the most losses in the major leagues.

He's 0-4 since a win over Texas on Sept. 6.

"It's not a mental issue," Guthrie says. "Overall, my stuff was as good as it's been all year.

Romero is 0-2 against the Orioles this season while Guthrie is 2-4 lifetime against Toronto.