Blue Jays: Top 5 players most likely to be traded this offseason

A forgotten man?

There were plenty of surprises for the Blue Jays in 2021, but the fact that Cavan Biggio was almost a non-factor qualifies as one of the most disappointing.

Last spring there were all kinds of debates going on about whether the Blue Jays should use Biggio or George Springer as the leadoff hitter in 2021. Springer obviously had the longer track record of success and had a considerable leg up, but the fact that it was even a question speaks to the value that Biggio brought to the table over his first two seasons. He wasn’t an All-Star calibre performer, but that on-base percentage with a bit of pop had plenty of upside.

Then came the 2021 campaign and it didn’t go as planned at all, in pretty much every way you could imagine. Biggio struggled with the transition to playing third base rather than his usual spot at second, and wasn’t exactly making up for it with the bat either. There’s little doubt that injuries contributed to his down season, and he was held to just 79 MLB games as a result. In all he slashed .224/.322/.356 with seven home runs, 10 doubles, and 27 RBI over 250 at-bats.

I’m confident that the Blue Jays can find an important role for Biggio in 2022 and give him the opportunity to bounce back with a healthy season. That said, it wouldn’t shock me if his name was banded about a bit in trade rumours as well. I’m not sure that would be wise since the Jays would be selling low on a player who looked like a part of the new core, but we don’t know how other teams value him at this stage either.

Of the players I’ve mentioned so far I would say that Biggio is the least likely to be traded. That said, it’s pretty clear that the Blue Jays have entered a “win-now” phase, so if the right deal comes along then I’m sure Atkins would consider it.