It’s arduous to not see the Toronto Blue Jays sitting within the catbird seat. It doesn’t really feel just like the Yankees are precisely poised to maintain onto their seat atop the AL East, even when Aaron Judge returns. They don’t have the potential for development that the Jays do, given the youth of their roster. Bo Bichette, Vladito, Alejandro Kirk, and Alex Manoah haven’t hit their peaks, but, or no less than they shouldn’t have. There’s nonetheless loads of room within the payroll earlier than hitting the posh tax, with a season on deck the place they might draw shut to and even over three million followers. There are holes in fact, however the Jays aren’t getting caught by the Orioles but, the Rays aren’t going all out ever, and the Red Sox aren’t even making an attempt.
And but Toronto kicked off the MLB offseason with a trade that appears panicky at worst, and complicated at finest.
They traded proper fielder Teoscar Hernandez to the Mariners for reliever Erik Swanson, and pitching prospect Adam Macko. It is necessary to remind people simply how good Hernandez has been for the previous two seasons. The solely proper fielders higher when it comes to fWAR over the previous two seasons are Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Bryce Harper, Starling Marte, Kyle Tucker, and Adolis Garcia. That’s three MVPs, one other surefire MVP sooner or later in Soto, and a few others who’re on the very high of the contributor pile in the event that they don’t make the star pile.
Yes, the Jays wanted somewhat pen assist in entrance of Jordan Romano, however was it price giving up a plus outfielder?
Sure, this all goes out the window if the Jays signal Judge, however that’s unlikely. Did their collapse in Game 2 of the Wild Card sequence spook them?
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There’s a motive that good groups mainly comprise a bullpen out of what they’ve mendacity round. While they do take outsized significance within the postseason, good relievers can come from wherever. You can’t be extra dominant than Swanson was for the Mariners final yr together with his 0.91 WHIP. He was price half of what Hernandez was, and Hernandez missed 30 video games. Throwing 60-70 innings over a full season simply isn’t price all that a lot.
It can’t be future payroll they’re frightened about, can it? Matt Chapman and Hyun Jin Ryu come off the books after this season. Bichette and Vlad Jr. are three years away from free company. Even with Hernandez going into his free-agent yr, what was the issue? Even if the Jays didn’t need to signal a then-31-year-old to a big-time deal, couldn’t they use what Hernandez has poised for this season?
Sure, it improves the protection, with Whit Merrifield, in the intervening time, transferring to proper and Santiago Espinal going full-time at second. Both are enhancements with the glove. The Jays had been already an excellent defensive workforce within the infield, a barely below-average one within the outfield. Is this actually sufficient of an enchancment?
Sure, the Jays have offense and energy to spare, however why not search bottom-of-the-rotation assist?
There’s nonetheless quite a bit to play out this winter, and the Jays have loads of time to make this make sense. It’s simply, in the intervening time, it appears like they both had been frightened about payroll — the one true factor that would derail their arc towards being a real energy — or they’re overly antsy about bullpen assist, which is in all places. You can discover it strolling to the grocery retailer. You can discover it on the deadline. You can discover it in some failed prospect who finds a brand new grip on a cutter. You don’t quit All-stars for it.
Maybe the Jays have a plan. It’s just a bit worrying when presumably essentially the most thrilling up-and-coming workforce in MLB makes a transfer that we will’t instantly clarify.
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