Blue Jays: What to do with Ryan Goins

It’s a long season, and we’ll likely need everyone

The Blue Jays have been very fortunate to receive the solid play they have from Goins, Barney and others in the absence of their stars. While it’s tempting to think about whether they need everyone or not, and what a trade could fetch, the smart play is likely keeping as much depth as possible, especially with Donaldson and Tulowitzki’s injury history.

The only thing that would make Goins a better depth piece would be if he still had options, as he did over the last number of seasons, but unfortunately that doesn’t last forever. Between he and Barney, they’ve both proven capable of starting in the short term, and they could be called upon later in the year as well. In addition to Tulo and JD, Devon Travis has struggled with shoulder and knee injuries in his short career, and is no guarantee to stay healthy all year either.

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They’ve been crucial in turning the Blue Jays’ horrific start around, as the club has won two series in a row on the strength of their heroics, including Goins’ walk-off hit on Wednesday against Cleveland.

He’s always been a fan favourite, and if he continues to play like this as a starter then John Gibbons will find ways to get him into the lineup, especially in the short term. For now, he’ll continue to see regular playing time at least until Tulo returns, and will likely get pencilled in a fair amount even after that.

Whomever made the final decision to keep Goins over Melvin Upton likely deserves a raise right about now. As bad as things look for the injury depleted Blue Jays at the moment, they could be a whole lot worse without the play of their depth pieces.

Next: Blue Jays' stars are dropping like flies