Jonathan Villar
Signed a one-year deal worth $6 million with a mutual option for a second season with the Chicago Cubs
It is safe to say that if you say the name Jonathan Villar around any Blue Jays fans, you might not receive the warmest of reactions.
Acquired by the Blue Jays as a late-season addition to the Blue Jays 2020 playoff push, the infielder struggled with his new club, routinely running into baserunning errors and struggling at the plate to a .481 OPS through 69 at-bats. It also looked like he quit on the team when he was pulled against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second game of the Wild Card, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way.
A year removed from his time with the Jays, Villar was back on the free-agent market this past offseason and the front office was apparently interested in a reunion. The club reportedly offered him a one-year, $6.5 million dollar deal that he ultimately did not accept and instead joined the Chicago Cubs on a one-year deal with a mutual option for a second season.
Villar is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and so far with the Cubs, he has done just that, splitting time between third base and shortstop with a few spot starts at second mixed in. His bat is still a work in progress, as he currently owns a .239 batting average on the season with two home runs and 12 RBI through 113 at-bats.