Blue Jays have no choice but to demote Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The Toronto Blue Jays may have no choice but to demote infielder Lourde Gurriel Jr. after yet another throwing lapse from second base that proved costly for Marcus Stroman and company.

For the second day in a row, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. made a throwing error on a routine throw to first base. Following the latest defensive blunder, it was obvious that throwing was renting space and playing on him mentally. Gurriel was replaced by infielder Alen Hanson at the conclusion of the inning.

The error prolonged the inning for Stroman who eventually surrendered an unearned run to tie the game as a result of the play.

Blue Jays coach Luis Rivera has reportedly been working with Gurriel on his defence, however, it appears the time has come for Gurriel to build up his confidence somewhere other than the major leagues. Perhaps, a little one on one time with Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar could be beneficial for the 24-year old.

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Gurriel isn’t the first major leaguer to suffer from the yips as Steve Sax and Chuck Knoblauch both were renowned for their struggles throwing from second base. Aside from his defence, Gurriel has also struggled with the bat out the gate hitting just .175 with seven hits in 44 plate appearances. The defensive struggles may be creeping into the offensive side of his game although he has hit better the past few games.

I would not be surprised if the Jays reassign Gurriel to Dunedin to work out the kinks before throwing him back into action at Triple-A. Gurriel is as talented as they come but he needs to rectify this latest speed bump and put it behind him.

We will wait and see what transpires at the conclusion of the game but don’t be surprised if Gurriel is no longer with the team following the contest.