Blue Jays: Nothing wrong with waiting for the right player

The Blue Jays have done an excellent job of roster building over the disjointed winter, but they might be one piece away. That’s okay, for now.

The Blue Jays have addressed the rotation in a big way by extending Jose Berrios for seven years and 131 million, signing Kevin Gausman for five years and 110 million, and rounding things out by adding Yusei Kikuchi not long after the lockout ended. They have added a few bullpen pieces like Yimi Garcia, more recently with Andrew Vasquez, and earlier this week they made a big splash by acquiring Matt Chapman from the A’s in exchange for a four-player package heading back to Oakland that was highlighted by Gunnar Hoglund and Kevin Smith.

For all of the great work that’s been done, I would argue that the Blue Jays are at least one piece away from being a finished product. In a perfect world they would have been able to add a player like Kyle Schwarber, someone they were heavily linked to, who could fill the semi-vacant role as the designated hitter and also add some depth in the outfield, and behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base. When he signed with the Phillies I thought the Jays might turn to an old friend in Corey Dickerson, but he agreed to a one-year deal with St. Louis not long after. I know Carlos Baerga continues to lead the Jose Ramirez to Toronto trade rumours, but at this point I’m convinced that Cleveland is going to keep their star player at the hot corner.

So where do the Blue Jays turn from here to address that one “hole” on the roster? At this point, it might be best to stand pat and wait for the trade market to heat up in June or July.

As of this writing, the Blue Jays lineup probably looks something like this:

1- George Springer (CF)
2- Bo Bichette (SS)
3- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)
4- Teoscar Hernandez (RF)
5- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF)
6- Matt Chapman (3B)
7- Alejandro Kirk (DH)
8- Danny Jansen (C)
9- Cavan Biggio (2B)

Santiago Espinal will certainly be in the mix, and might even platoon at second base. Biggio has the ability to move around the diamond, including in the outfield, which gives additional flexibility to Charlie Montoyo. Randal Grichuk is still on the roster as well, and could see some playing time in the outfield while the Jays utilize the DH spot to give some rest to Springer, Gurriel Jr., and Hernandez, which could also improve their overall defence.

I realize it’s not a perfect solution, but a hitter like Kirk could be a real asset for the lineup, especially in the bottom third. Grichuk goes through his hot streaks as well, and those often come near the start of the season, so don’t be shocked if he gets fairly regular playing time to begin the year, especially if they’re looking to increase his trade value. Again, it’s not a perfect solution for the lineup, but it’s far from bad.

If the Blue Jays are willing to wait until June or July, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to find a much better fit than what’s still on the market right now. The list of free agent hitters has seriously dwindled, especially from the left side, and there aren’t many teams that are selling off veterans outside of the A’s and the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds do have a pair of left-handed hitting veterans in Joey Votto and Tyler Naquin that could make some sense, but for one reason or another that feels unlikely.

In June or July, it’s possible that the Guardians change their stance (and their asking price) around Jose Ramirez. Maybe the Diamondbacks are willing to discuss a Ketel Marte trade at that point, or perhaps one-year contract players like Dickerson or Joc Pederson end up getting shopped. I realize I’m re-visiting a bunch of names that have been thrown around over the last month, but it’s entirely possible that the market for left-handed hitters returns to a similar place, outside of the top of the class like Schwarber or Freddie Freeman.

For the time being, I believe the Blue Jays have a strong enough lineup that there’s no reason to force a move. I would argue that they’ve had a much better offseason than their division rivals in the AL East, and that they should be confident entering the season with what they’ve got. That doesn’t mean that Ross Atkins should shut off his phone, but overall I think he should feel satisfied with a job well done. I know this Blue Jays fan feels that way, and I’m happy to wait a few months to look for a piece or two to make this team a true championship contender.