Blue Jays: Who is competing to make the team this spring?

The Blue Jays have a lot of their 25 man roster pretty well established, but there are a few battles to keep an eye on during the spring schedule.

One thing that comes with having a pretty veteran heavy roster is a lack of competition for jobs, and that’s the case in a lot of areas for the Toronto Blue Jays this year. Barring injury we pretty much know who the rotation will be, and the majority, if not all of the everyday lineup for John Gibbons.

There will be accountability, especially when it comes to health and playing time for the veterans, but otherwise we can expect names like Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin, Justin Smoak, and others we’ve gotten used to over the last number of years. There are new faces to look forward to watching like Randal Grichuk, Curtis Granderson, and more as well who are going to be counted on heavily this year.

The rotation is pretty much set in stone barring injury, with Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, and Jaime Garcia slated to take the ball at the beginning of games. Joe Biagini may push the veterans, but in all reality he’s facing a start in Triple A if he’s not sent to the bullpen.

However, there are a few competitions to pay attention to now that Grapefruit League play has gotten underway. The bullpen is far from written in ink, and there are a few veterans that will not only have to earn their playing time, but likely their spot on the team. Things could also change quickly with additional roster moves before Opening Day, and the Blue Jays have admitted that they’re still keeping their eyes open, especially toward the bullpen.

All of that said, who are the players currently battling for a job when the team goes North?

Back-up Catcher

This is one area of the roster that I’m surprised that Ross Atkins and company didn’t address this offseason, but it could also be an area they’re still keeping a close eye on. As things stand right now, Luke Maile would be the favourite for the job after playing in 46 games for the Blue Jays last year.

He missed a good chunk of time recovering from knee surgery, but even while playing through pain he was the Blue Jays’ best option last season, despite hitting just .146/.176/.243. Among the group that included Miguel Montero, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Raffy Lopez, and Mike Ohlman, the Blue Jays weren’t able to find a solution behind the plate when Russell Martin needed a day off, or when he had to spend time on the disabled list. Maile at least provided above average defence when he was in the lineup, something that he others had a hard time bringing to the table in addition to their struggles in the batter’s box.

The hope is that Maile can hit a little better now that his knee is fully healthy, and also that Martin will have a healthier year than 2017, when he was only able to play 91 games. I wouldn’t be surprised if Atkins and Mark Shapiro were watching rival clubs to see if other options become available, and also if they’re keeping a close eye on their own prospects like Reese McGuire and Danny Jansen. It’s likely that those two start the year in the minor leagues where they’ll receive more regular playing time, but the Blue Jays are better equipped in the upper levels, at least compared to the position they found themselves in last year.

The Infield

Assuming everyone is healthy, and that’s admittedly a very big “IF”, the Blue Jays infield picture is pretty well taken care of. Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak return at the corners, Russell Martin will handle the majority of the catching duties, and the Jays will hope that Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis can have healthier seasons than they did in 2017, when they combined to play just 116 games.

The infield depth is arguably the biggest area of change this offseason, and it was a need that Atkins and Shapiro identified and addressed early this winter. The addition of the versatile Yangervis Solarte gives the Blue Jays another starting calibre infielder with experience all over the diamond. A fan favourite of the Padres, I’m confident that Blue Jays’ fans will grow to appreciate him in very short order. There’s also the addition of Aledmys Diaz, who not only shores up the shortstop position considerably, but he’s also a worthwhile gamble with a lot of upside, especially after hitting .300 with 17 home runs as a rookie.

As I said above, the infield health situation is a big if, and it’s already evidenced by Troy Tulowitzki’s delayed start dealing with bone spur issues. If he or anyone else can’t go on Opening Day, there are options like Gift Ngoepe, Richard Urena, and more that could handle duties up the middle if needed as well.

When it comes to the infield equation, the biggest question may be whether or not Diaz makes the Opening Day roster. If the Blue Jays do decide to hang on to all five outfielders including Ezequiel Carrera, it’s going to be hard to find room for Diaz as well. Of course, that’ll hinge on whether Tulowitzki can be fully healthy, and whether everyone else can get through camp without getting hurt.

Bullpen

*Note- After this article had been written, the Blue Jays have reportedly signed Seung-hwan Oh to a one year, two million dollar deal with a vesting option for 2019. The deal was first reported by Robert Murray of FanRagSports, and is pending a physical. 

The bullpen is the biggest question for me at this stage of the Grapefruit schedule, and that’s a common thing at this time of year. Again barring injury, we know that the group will include Roberto Osuna, Ryan Tepera, Danny Barnes, and there’s a really good chance that Aaron Loup continues his improbable run with the club, as he’s now the longest tenured member of the team.

Beyond that there is quite a bit of competition for John Gibbons, Pete Walker, and company to sort out. There are young lefties like Matt Dermody and Tim Mayza that’ll push for a job, and Craig Breslow was brought in on a minor league contract. There are also veteran right-handers like Al Alburquerque, John Axford, Jake Petricka, and young Carlos Ramirez, who threw well last year between Triple A and a short stint at the highest level.

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The debate will also press on about whether or not Joe Biagini should join the bullpen, or if he should go to Buffalo and remain in the starting depth picture. The decision could also be affected by whether or not the front office brings in another reliever, as they’ve said they hope to do. Biagini looked good in his first spring appearance, and even appears to have lost some weight in preparation to handle starting duties a little better, and my guess is he’ll begin the year as a starter in Triple A, at least in April anyway. However, if the former Rule 5 pick does begin the year in Buffalo, the one need that could remain is for a long man.

It’s hard to say if the front office is prioritizing another right-hander, a reliable loogy, or a long man for the bullpen, but we do know it’s an area that they hope to address. Chances are the Jays could put together a decent group from what they have already, but having more depth on the pitching staff is never a bad thing.

Next: Predicting the regular season batting order

What do you think, is there a spring battle I missed talking about? As I’ve said several times, a lot of this could change before Opening Day, but as things currently stand it looks like the battles will be fairly limited during Grapefruit action for the Blue Jays. Hopefully the roster can be firing on all cylinders when the regular season gets underway, and if not, then perhaps there will be a few more competitions for the roster than there are now.