Blue Jays: 12 predictions for the upcoming year

Just miss the playoffs

Part of my reasoning for thinking that Donaldson ultimately stays in Toronto is I believe the team will be a contender in 2018, and that they’ll ultimately hang on to Donaldson for the entire season in pursuit of a playoff spot.

While I do think the season will be much better than last year, I’m going to predict that the Blue Jays miss qualifying for the postseason by 1.5 games, keeping things exciting until the final week. I sincerely hope I’m wrong on this one.

Alford ends up as a full time starter

We still don’t really know who will be starting in the outfield to begin the 2018 season, but I’d put money on Anthony Alford being one of the three by season’s end. Whether that means he pushes Kevin Pillar from the starting spot in centre, or takes over in one of the corner outfield spots, I believe he’ll be one of the key pieces to the team in the near future.

He dealt with injury issues for a good chunk of 2017, but he impressed when he was healthy, and he absolutely tore apart the Mexican Winter League. The former two-sport star is immensely talented, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him flourishing at the highest level sooner than later.

Aledmys Diaz proves to be a savvy pick up

The only significant move the Blue Jays have made so far this offseason was sending minor league outfielder J.B. Woodman to the Cardinals for shortstop, Aledmys Diaz. The talented shortstop had an excellent rookie season in 2016, but struggled and was relegated to the minors at times last year, so the Cardinals felt he was expendable.

Brought in to back up Devon Travis and Troy Tulowitzki‘s inevitable DL stints, I predict Diaz will ultimately do just that and serve as an above replacement level infielder. By the time 2019 rolls around, he’s considered a full time starter.