Surplus of infielders creates roster complications, opportunity for Blue Jays

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Like so many different gamers throughout this curiously sluggish low season, Eduardo Escobar discovered his market actually gradual. Landing with a brand new workforce took longer than the previous All-Star anticipated, however “there are still a lot of free agents,” he stated, “and that situation is really hard.”

That’s why, after he reached settlement on a minor-league take care of the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, he instructed GM Ross Atkins that he’d make his method to Dunedin, Fla., for his bodily as quickly as potential the following day. By Saturday morning, he was at his locker sorting via his new workforce gear, donning a Blue Jays uniform, getting acclimated to his environment.

“I was waiting for an opportunity. The Blue Jays were the team that showed the most interest in me,” he stated. “I’m so excited to return to this workforce and to work actually laborious right here.”

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Escobar, 35, provides to the glut of infielders assembled by the Blue Jays, and their roster combine was additional muddled late Friday once they reached settlement with left-handed slugger Daniel Vogelbach on a minor-league deal pending a bodily that he’s anticipated to take Sunday.

When camp opened Thursday, supervisor John Schneider quipped that mapping out enjoying time at second and third base this season goes to be “a cool puzzle to solve,” however two days later, the Blue Jays abruptly have extra items than the body can maintain.

Depth is nice, after all, and there are not any ensures with minor-league offers — that’s the great thing about them. Yet between the excess of gamers vying for comparable roles, a full 40-man roster, plus upward strain from prospects who might quickly be deserving of big-league alternative, the Blue Jays appear like a workforce poised to make a commerce earlier than Opening Day.

Consider the place issues stand proper now within the race for the 13 position-player spots on the roster, and let’s pull second base and third base out of the combination to begin.

Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk behind the plate makes two. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first and Bo Bichette at shortstop is 4. An outfield of Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier, George Springer pushes the full to seven, plus Justin Turner at DH makes eight. That leaves 5 spots, two of which is able to go to Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Cavan Biggio, who’ll be dealing with some third and second, even with their precise roles TBD.

Vogelbach is coming in to compete for a spot as a left-handed bat off the bench, an indicator that they’re envisioning that particular position for the roster and suggesting Spencer Horwitz is his predominant competitors for the job.

So, that’s 11, with Escobar presumably having some assurances about making the roster, all issues being equal, upping the tally to 12, leaving Santiago Espinal, Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement, who’s out of choices, vying for one closing spot on the membership.

And that’s with out contemplating prospects such because the hard-hitting Orelvis Martinez, who Schneider stated is specializing in second base after spending most of final 12 months on the left facet of the diamond and described as “a legit big-league power bat”; Addison Barger, who’ll get reps at third base and proper area; Canadian third baseman Damiano Palmegiani, whose star is rising rapidly; and Leo Jimenez, a powerful defender at shortstop.

That’s a major organizational surplus of infielders and asset administration is barely a part of what makes their present set-up difficult.

Espinal, an All-Star in 2022, is just too good a participant to be on the fringes of a roster, whereas Davis Schneider is definitely deserving of extra alternative after he slugged .603 with eight homers and 12 doubles in a small-sample dimension of 35 video games a 12 months in the past. Schneider, together with Clement, who posted an .885 OPS in 29 video games, helped maintain the membership collectively when accidents struck in August final season, and is the kind of depth piece groups worth.

The Blue Jays can’t carry all of them, not if everyone seems to be wholesome and Escobar and Vogelbach make the membership, whereas Clement can’t be despatched down with out first clearing waivers. Given that the Blue Jays don’t mission to have a pure additional outfielder on the roster, a re-allocation of property can resolve that, whereas a consolidation of expertise sooner or later might doubtlessly assist land influence earlier than the deadline.

Still, that doesn’t resolve the division of labour as soon as the 2024 season begins, and the Blue Jays may have a lot of gamers accustomed to common at-bats preventing over a comparatively small lot of them.

Competition for jobs could also be nice throughout spring coaching however “you hope it doesn’t really continue into the season,” stated John Schneider. “It kind of does naturally, but setting expectations (for players), it’s almost better to kind of paint worst-case scenario. I’ve learned that over the years and go from there. And if everyone’s healthy and everyone’s performing, that’s when it gets just a little bit trickier for me and for the staff. But as far as the number (of players) that we have, spring’s easy to get everyone in where they should be. Health-dependent, it gets a little bit trickier when the season starts. But trying to just set expectations as early as we can, with what the probable outcome will be if everyone’s healthy.”

Escobar, after all, is intent on securing as a lot enjoying time as potential.

An All-Star in 2021, the switch-hitting infielder is coming off a down 12 months cut up between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels, when he batted .226/.269/.344 in 309 plate appearances over 99 video games.

Between a truncated spring when he was totally on the bench with Venezuela on the World Baseball Classic, the commerce out west and sporadic enjoying time on two non-competitive groups, “last year was really hard because you have no control, and when you don’t play every day, it’s really hard,” he stated. “I always came to the field with a winning mentality, ready when the manager needs me … working really hard, having a good routine, good preparation for the game. But you don’t control the result. Last year was a little tough, but last year is gone. I’m excited about this opportunity with the Blue Jays and to have a good year here.”

Not one for excuses, Escobar made a number of adjustments over the winter and is assured that “you’re going to see the results.”

He dropped some weight, made changes to his exercise routine and hit with a brand new coach in Miami, Frank Valdez, alongside Luis Arraez, Jeimer Candelario, Luis Rengifo and Avisail Garcia, amongst others.

With Valdez, Escobar centered on being faster together with his fingers, notably on the left facet of the plate, the place his OPS of .519 was 250 factors decrease than when batting right-handed. Immediately he felt the distinction and “when you start working on something new and you see results quickly, you feel really good,” he stated.

If he can merely regain his kind from 2022, when he delivered a .726 OPS and was value 1.2 wins, as calculated by Baseball Reference, the Blue Jays may have discovered one thing in him.

But at his age, that’s no lock, which is why he’s on a minor-league deal, as Vogelbach can be too, the Blue Jays basically taking educated guesses whereas throwing so many potentialities on the wall, one thing will inevitably have to stay.

“There are a lot of good players here,” stated Escobar. “I’m going to do the same things I’ve been doing for 11 years, play hard, be the best teammate, work hard every day, help the team and be ready for the manager, whatever he needs from me. That’s what I did all my career. I’m not coming here trying to do something else. I try to do my job, be my best, be humble, treat people with respect and play hard.”

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