Thornton (6-9) allowed only one hit over five scoreless innings in a win over the Rays on Saturday. He struck out eight and walked four.
It's been a rough season for Thornton overall, but he finished strong with a 2.19 ERA and 26:9 K:BB in September (24.2 innings). With the way he closed it out, and with a lack of established veterans in the Toronto rotation, Thornton would seem to stand a great chance of breaking camp next year with a starting role. He'll have to secure his spot in spring training.