This needs to be a roster priority for Jays
This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it often in your inbox.
How’s that New Year’s decision going?
Working in baseball, my “new year” begins when the season ends. This means I’ve had a few months to simply accept the truth that I cannot be studying a brand new language or saving more cash, and in simply over 5 weeks, I cannot be arriving in Dunedin for Spring Training within the “best shape of my life.”
That Florida solar is inching nearer, although, and is at all times a welcome change from Toronto in mid-February.
The Blue Jays stayed busy over the vacations, buying outfielder Daulton Varsho from the D-backs in change for Gabriel Moreno, who had the potential to be a franchise cornerstone at catcher, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. It’s huge, daring and dangerous, which turns into essential at this level in a staff’s ascent.
This transfer checked off the ultimate true “need” for the Blue Jays, who’ve fully rebranded their outfield from an offensive to defensive id. With Varsho’s defensive excellence in left, Kevin Kiermaier in heart and George Springer now slid over to proper, every Blue Jays pitcher simply noticed their ERA drop just a few factors. This staff has been proficient sufficient in 2021 and ’22, however because it hasn’t led to a lot postseason success, it solely is smart to assault the identical drawback from a special angle.
The offseason isn’t over, although. Here are 4 questions the Blue Jays have to reply by the point they land in Dunedin to kick off a brand new season.
What else does this roster want?
Toronto has its stars. From Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Bo Bichette, Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, Springer and others, there’s sufficient star energy on this staff to win a championship, interval. There’s at all times room to enhance depth, although, and Toronto nonetheless has some work to do.
Expect to see one other outfielder added, doubtlessly a right-handed bat who can mash lefties. The Blue Jays would like to have 4 conventional outfielders, then use Cavan Biggio or Whit Merrifield on the market as wanted. You’ll see the same old depth signings for the bullpen and maybe a veteran Minor League signing on the infield. Toronto can also be doubtless so as to add a veteran catcher at Triple-A who could possibly be a trusty backup if Alejandro Kirk or Danny Jansen go down for an prolonged interval.
Who’s the No. 5 starter? (and No. 6 … and No. 7…)
The competitors will play out throughout Spring Training, however Toronto appears snug letting Yusei Kikuchi take a shot on the No. 5 job. It can’t go worse than ’22, can it?
Whether it occurs in camp or down the road with Hyun Jin Ryu or No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann taking a spot within the rotation, it’s additionally potential Kikuchi finally ends up again in a bullpen function in some unspecified time in the future this yr. I like Kikuchi in a multi-inning function the place he can max out and, in an ideal world, find the strike zone.
One precedence: The Blue Jays want higher depth within the No. 7 and No. 8 beginning slots than they’d in ’22. Ross Stripling saved them, however that gained’t occur yearly.
Can Toronto discover the ‘candy spot’ on early extensions?
Toronto must discover a “sweet spot” with the correct quantity of “shared risk.” Those are the phrases you’ll hear coming from the entrance workplace. Whether it’s Vladdy, Bo or Manoah, there are some main alternatives to lock up younger stars … and it solely will get tougher the nearer they get to free company.
One to observe following the Varsho commerce that included Moreno? Danny Jansen.
What’s the plan for Toronto’s (many) WBC gamers?
Keep this one in thoughts as camp nears. Given the Blue Jays’ star energy, they’ll have an extended listing of gamers taking part within the World Baseball Classic, which begins March 8 and runs by way of March 21. Canada opens Pool C play on March 11 in Arizona.
Each MLB membership might be coping with a balancing act in Spring Training, however for Toronto, this could possibly be a chance for some fringe gamers — or prime prospects — to get a really lengthy look in stay video games for a few weeks in March.
