Blue Jays have options to cover a Teoscar Hernandez absence

Shuffling the lineup

If the Blue Jays want to utilize the versatility of their roster to help cover for Teoscar Hernandez’s injury, they could break up the quasi-platoon they’ve been using at second base.

It remains to be seen if Cavan Biggio can bounce back from his injury-riddled and disappointing 2021 season, but I’d be more than happy to see him playing close to every day and getting the chance to turn things around. The biggest obstacle in the way for him this week has been the solid play from Santiago Espinal, who feels like he’s gaining a grip on the job at second base. If Hernandez is out for an extended period of time, the Blue Jays could always look at moving Biggio to the outfield on a more regular basis.

It’s not an ideal solution for the 27 year old, as I think most of us can agree that it would be better if he could stick to one spot (ideally second base) and focus on finding his groove again, but there could be a silver lining to Hernandez’s injury, at least for Biggio. It might be a path to regular playing time, which was a door that was starting to look like it was closing.

The downside to this idea is that all three of Tapia, Zimmer, and Biggio hit from the left side, so it’s unfortunate the Blue Jays don’t have more of a compliment to the roster for the days they’re facing a left-hander. That said, hopefully Hernandez’s injury won’t keep him on the sidelines for an extended period. If that’s the case, they can live with giving Biggio and Tapia more at-bats against southpaws.

For now, it’s a game of wait and see as far as how severe Hernandez’s injury will be, and just how much time he’ll miss. With any luck, the Blue Jays will only need a short-term solution.