Toronto Blue Jays 2018 Outfield Depth Chart

Curtis Granderson:

Entering his age 37 season, Curtis Granderson will not be the same offensive threat that he used to be. However, in a platoon role, Granderson may receive the rest that he needs to maintain his offensive ability. Currently projected at a .239/.340/.450 and an offensive runs above average of 4.5, Granderson will be more than serviceable in left field. His down year last year likely can be attributed to a tough year for the Mets, being asked to play too often, and being traded across the country mid-way through the season.

Granderson’s defensive numbers are worrisome. Advertised as a defensive upgrade from the likes of Steve Pearce and Ezequiel Carrera, the numbers show just how low of a bar that is. Holding a good .991 fielding percentage across all outfield positions, the concern in Granderson’s defensive game comes from Rdrs. Granderson was a -4 Rdrs last year. For reference, that is only 1 Rdrs better than the supposed defensive liability J.D. Martinez.

Steve Pearce:

The other half of the left-field platoon, Steve Pearce may benefit from a season of better health. However, there are no guarantees this will hold up. Pearce didn’t hurt the team offensively last year but he didn’t add very much. In 2018 he is projected to have a .787 OPS with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs. These numbers do not inspire much confidence. However, left field is upgraded as a platoon. Therefore, a platoon of Pearce/Granderson already looks better than a Pearce/Carrera platoon.

If Curtis Granderson was defensively worrisome, Steve Pearce is a defensive nightmare. Truly an infielder by trade and an outfielder by necessity, Pearce is a liability on the defensive side of the game. For Toronto last year, Pearce had assists and errors equal at two and held a .985 fielding percentage. However, as anybody who has seen Pearce play left field could tell you, these stats are misleading. The speed is simply not there to play an effective defensive left field. This fact is evident in the -6 Rdrs that Pearce was worth in just 85 games in the outfield last year.