Blue Jays: Jonathan Villar trade opens doors down the stretch

The Blue Jays made some significant improvements to their roster ahead of the trade deadline, and perhaps none bigger than Jonathan Villar.

The Blue Jays’ acquisition of Jonathan Villar is a deal that will show it’s value almost immediately. With Brandon Drury getting optioned and Joe Panik’s short tenure with the team seemingly coming to an end, this move will pay dividends as the Jays continue their playoff hunt. Villar is a versatile player whose plus speed allows him to play both the middle infield positions, as well as the outfield. If I had to guess, I think the Jays will give him some time at third base, a position that has yet to be solidified this year and one that he has some experience playing.

Villar is also a switch hitter; that bodes well for the Jays who have relied on platoons at multiple positions this year including third base. Villar had a good year last year with the Orioles posting a .792 OPS and swiping 40 bags before getting shipped off to the Marlins in the winter. He’s played both infield and outfield for the Marlins this year and has held his own at the plate hitting .274; easily providing more versatility and production than any of the Jays current bench players.

The Blue Jays reportedly had to part ways with Griffin Conine to get the deal done, their 16th ranked prospect and a promising young outfielder that I’m sure they would have liked to hang on to, although the return has yet to be confirmed. The fact is, the Jays are in a position to win this year, and Conine, as much potential as he has, cannot help them win ballgames in this shortened season. We may look at this trade differently in a few years if/once Conine has had some at-bats in the big leagues, but for the time being, Ross Atkins and the front office deserve a lot of credit for this deal.

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They found a way to improve the team that has seen its postseason chances skyrocket in the last two weeks, without damaging the long-term plan for the organization. Down the stretch, Villar’s versatility in the field, as well as his speed on the base paths, gives the Jays a lot more options going into the second half of the season. With their letting go of Anthony Alford, Villar also becomes the biggest speed threat on the team, a valuable asset especially for a team that seems to live and die on one-run games.

I would assume Charlie Montoyo will use Villar in the outfield at least a bit, possibly to get Teoscar Hernandez more at-bats at DH. If he does end up playing some outfield, Derek Fisher will undoubtedly see his already scarce playing time diminish; a move I am more than okay with. In terms of Villar playing some shortstop while Bo continues to rehab, we will see Santigo Espinal’s playing time also take a hit.

To make room on the roster I’m going to speculate and say Joe Panik’s time with the Jays has come to an end. In spite of Panik’s experience and veteran presence, he failed to provide any real value to the team and wasn’t able to do the little things that bench players need to do. The last straw for me was his inability to lay down a bunt in the 10th inning of a one-run game, granted a game the Blue Jays still won, but it’s an inexcusable mistake that cannot fly on a team with playoff aspirations.

Bottom line, this trade made the Jays better. Is Villar a superstar? No. But he can fill in for an injured Bo Bichette for the time being and still provide value to the team once he is healthy. The Jays are a lot better team today then they were yesterday, and if Villar puts up some decent numbers over the next month, I’m sure we can come to terms with parting ways with a top 20 prospect. One thing’s for sure, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking like a legitimate playoff team after today, something I would not have said two weeks ago. It’s a good time to be a Blue Jay fan.