Five key questions for Blue Jays entering 2016 season

The reigning AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays are in a good position to defend their crown as the bulk of the core that reached the ALCS last season returns. That doesn't mean they don't have a few questions surrounding them, though.

As they look to contend for the World Series again, here are five key questions for the Blue Jays entering the 2016 MLB season, which begins Sunday afternoon on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays.

HOW WILL STROMAN PERFORM AS THE STAFF ACE?

Marcus Stroman gets his first career opening day start Sunday in Tampa Bay, where he officially assumes the mantle of staff ace. The 24-year-old right-hander has the potential to be Toronto's best starter since Roy Halladay, but getting to Halladay's level and finding the consistency that's required to stay there is tough, even for a pitcher as talented as Stroman.

The ace is looked to as the pitcher who's there to put a stop of a losing skid or provide the pivotal win in a tight series. Stroman has a terrific repertoire of pitches with the poise to match it and has had great success so far during his brief time in the major leagues, posting a 2.99 ERA over 24 regular season starts. How he raises his game will have a huge impact on how far the Blue Jays can go this year, and a great season from Stroman will have fans forgetting about David Price in no time.

WALK YEAR WATCH: WHAT DO BAUTISTA AND ENCARNACION HAVE IN STORE?

Before the attention turns to their long-term futures this offseason, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion have one more year on their contracts in Toronto to show the Blue Jays and the rest of the league what they can do. They've both been among the best power hitters in baseball in recent years, and another big year at the plate is the best way to ensure they'll be getting rich contracts next winter. That kind of production from the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the lineup will also really help Toronto defend its AL East title.

The main concern, however, is health. Bautista, 35, played 153 out of 162 games in 2015 and Encarnacion, 33, was right behind at 146, but the two did battle some minor injuries during the year. Toronto has enough hitting depth to overcome losing either of them for a short period of time, but the Blue Jays need the Dominican duo to flex their muscle again to get them back to the playoffs just as much as Bautista and Encarnacion do to put themselves in position for a big free-agent pay day.

HOW WILL SANCHEZ BE HANDLED?

The biggest question for the Blue Jays entering spring training was whether Aaron Sanchez would be a starter or a reliever on opening day. Sanchez, who had been saying since early in the offseason that his goal was to be in the rotation, went out and earned a starting job after a string of impressive games in Grapefruit League play. How long he remains there is the next question that needs to be answered. The 23-year-old right-hander opened the 2015 season as a starter with middling results and then missed two months with a back injury. When he returned, Sanchez pitched in relief and was lights-out in a late-inning role.

He appears more ready now to make the leap now, but even if he's dominant from the get-go this time he might not be a starter for the whole year. The front office and coaching staff will be carefully watching his innings and there's the very real possibility Sanchez ends up back in the bullpen toward the end of the season. How Sanchez performs in the rotation, and how he's subsequently handled, stands out as one of the most fascinating Blue Jays subplots in 2016.

CAN THE BLUE JAYS' LINEUP BE EVEN BETTER THAN LAST YEAR?

There's no doubt the Blue Jays had baseball's top offence in 2015, outscoring the next best team, the Yankees, by over 100 runs. Led by Bautista, Encarnacion, and AL MVP Josh Donaldson, Toronto smashed opposing pitcher's all season long and are primed to do it again this year. Is it possible that they could be even better this season?

Troy Tulowitzki didn't hit up to his All-Star standards during his first two months in Toronto (.239/.317/.380 in 41 games), but now that he's settled in with the Blue Jays he expects to return to his career norms. That would give the team another dangerous middle of the order bat and make up for any slight regression from any of the other key contributors. Watch out, American League.

WHAT'S THE EXPECTATION FOR ESTRADA AND HAPP?

While Stroman and Sanchez understandably grab all the headlines, the Blue Jays' success ultimately hinges on how much they can lean on Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ. The first step is establishing realistic expectations for the two veteran pitchers. Estrada, who will likely begin the season on the disabled list but only miss one turn in the rotation, and Happ are coming off breakthrough years. While it would be great for them to replicate those highs, all Toronto really needs is for them to be solid innings eater with something close to a league average ERA (3.95 in 2015) and be consistent throughout the season. It's not sexy, but it should be enough for the Blue Jays to win games.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr