Blue Jays: There just wasn’t much of a role left for Randal Grichuk

On Thursday the Blue Jays traded Randal Grichuk and cash to the Rockies for two players, and the deal makes sense for all parties involved.

The biggest reason I say that is because Grichuk really didn’t have a role left in Toronto these days, other than serving as depth in case of an injury, or perhaps the occasional day off for a guy like George Springer. I made this point a couple of months ago before the offseason had even developed, and it only became more true as time went on. The Blue Jays have a full outfield that includes Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Alejandro Kirk is starting to look like the favourite to receive the majority of at-bats as the designated hitter.

It’s been a frustrating last couple of years for Grichuk and the Blue Jays, as the 30 year old routinely seems to get off to a hot start to begin each new MLB campaign, only to regress as the season wears on. It felt like every year we were asking ourselves if “this was the time that Grichuk would break out for good”, but the hot hitting just never stuck around for long enough.

As the Blue Jays look for finishing touches on what should be a contender-worthy roster, a guy like Grichuk became pretty redundant. Like his fellow outfielders, he also hits from the right side, and his skill set is pretty similar as well. Unfortunately, he just doesn’t keep up with the starting trio on offence, even if he’s as good or better than any of them on defence.

By moving Grichuk to Colorado they’ll not only free up some money over the next two years, but they also acquire a player in Raimel Tapia that actually fits reasonably well on their roster. He won’t be a star by any means, and maybe not even that close to an every-day player, but he has a few things going for him compared to his new teammates. His left-handed bat will help provide some balance, and he’s a pretty speedy runner on the bases as well, so he could find himself in several pinch-running scenarios on days that he’s not starting. Tapia is also a pretty solid outfield glove, and should provide some much needed depth that comes with Grichuk’s departure. In addition to Tapia, the Blue Jays also received a 19 year old prospect by the name of Adrian Pinto, who has some intriguing upside as well.

When you compare Grichuk to Tapia straight up, I can understand that some fans believe that the former is the better player. That may even be true, but in this case I think the Blue Jays have made a move that makes their roster better. As I mentioned before, Grichuk’s skill set ended up being pretty redundant with the Blue Jays, as he found himself more or less without a role other than covering for injuries, and maybe starting against left-handers. If we look at the way his 2021 season ended, he wasn’t part of the regular starting lineup very often, and I think he was looking at more of the same in 2022.

By making this move the Blue Jays receive a player that gives them a different look, and it makes more sense for their roster, saves a bit of money in the process, and they also sent Grichuk to a place where he should receive another opportunity to fulfill his full potential. Blue Jays fans know how valuable he can be when he’s rolling at the plate, and I think I can speak for most of us when I say that I wish him the best in Colorado.