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Blue Jays: Building blocks on the current big league roster

By Chris Henderson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 02: Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks back to the dugout after pitching against the Minnesota Twins during the fifth inning of the game on May 2, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Blue Jays 4-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 02: Marcus Stroman #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks back to the dugout after pitching against the Minnesota Twins during the fifth inning of the game on May 2, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Blue Jays 4-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – JUNE 10: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Randal Grichuk #15 and Kevin Pillar #11 celebrate their sweep during MLB game action against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre on June 10, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JUNE 10: Teoscar Hernandez #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Randal Grichuk #15 and Kevin Pillar #11 celebrate their sweep during MLB game action against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre on June 10, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

The Outfield

While I’m not sure there is a superstar in the mix for the Blue Jays at this time, I think there’s enough talent to make up a pretty solid outfield for the foreseeable future.

I would include Kevin Pillar in this conversation, especially given his age and his relatively cheap contract, but I honestly expect him to be among the names banded about at the trade deadline, especially if he can get back to performing the way he did in April at the plate. I wouldn’t be surprised if he stuck around, but something in my gut says he’ll be in another uniform by 2019, unless this team can somehow make a push for the playoffs this season.

That still leaves a pretty solid group of outfielders to choose from anyway, and I think the Blue Jays should be strong on both sides of the ball if all goes according to plan. We’ve seen highs and lows from the duo of Teoscar Hernandez and Randal Grichuk this season, but both have displayed enough upside to  be excited about their futures, Hernandez in particular of course. Grichuk struggled in mighty fashion to begin the year, but lately he’s been arguably the Blue Jays’ best player.

Grichuk won’t turn 27 until August and has two more years left of contract control, while Hernandez is just 25 and won’t be a free agent until 2024. And in an ideal world, they could each man a corner while they would have Anthony Alford anchoring things up the middle. Alford will have to prove he can make the leap to the big leagues, but his talent is definitely there, and the Blue Jays expect he’ll eventually do just that.

Add in some other pretty decent minor leaguers, and the ability to add through free agency, and the Blue Jays should have the potential for a solid, affordable outfield going forward. Grichuk will need to perform more like the player he has lately than the one we saw in April, but he’s starting to make more believers out of fans of this team. As for Alford and Hernandez, I think it’s just a matter of time before they’re fixtures in this lineup, if that isn’t the case for the latter already.

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