Blue Jays may have some unlikely trade pieces to offer

Danny Jansen

If I’m surprised to be saying that Rowdy Tellez could be on the trade block, I’m not sure how to describe how I feel about saying the same about Danny Jansen. Here we are though.

Jansen is still on the Injured List at the moment, but he was losing his grip on the starting job before he got hurt. He was hitting a bit better before the injury, but his biggest issue has been the lack of offence he’s brought to the plate. The Blue Jays don’t need a lot of offensive production from the catching position with all of the talent they have elsewhere, but Jansen has to hit better than the .157/.248/.278 slash line he’s posted this season.

With the recent emergence from Reese McGuire, there’s a strong argument that Jansen is more expendable than he’s ever been since his MLB debut. The Jays also have Alejandro Kirk, who should be available sooner than later, and Riley Adams has been a serviceable back-up. Then there’s Gabriel Moreno, who truly looks like the future of the franchise behind the plate with the way he’s hitting this year in the minor leagues.

The question of whether or not to trade Jansen will likely come down to what he could bring back in return. His performance at the plate isn’t going to help his trade value, but he’s well known as an above average defender, and he has a Gold Glove nomination on his short MLB resume already. He’s had a history of success as a hitter in the minor leagues as well, so you could make the argument that he’ll figure it out eventually even if he’s had plenty of opportunity with the Blue Jays.

I don’t know that I expect that Jansen will be moved, but I do think the Jays can afford to trade a catcher, which is definitely an area of strength and depth for the organization. If it’s not Jansen, I actually wouldn’t be shocked if Kirk ended up in trade talks either, which could lead to a bigger deal.

I still believe that Jansen brings plenty of value to a big league team, but it’s entirely possible that the Blue Jays see him as expendable going forward. Given the talent they have at the catching position, it makes a lot more sense than it did a year ago.