Blue Jays: What if you have to choose which stars to keep?

What to do about the outfield

As the Blue begin the 2023 season, they could be looking at three different outfielders playing on expiring contracts.

That’s the case for Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and also for their new acquisition in Whit Merrifield, who doubles as a second baseman as well. There will still be four years left on George Springer’s contract after the 2022 campaign, and there’s a decent chance he’ll eventually move to a corner outfield spot at some point, even if it’s not yet in 2023.

Add it all up and it’s not hard to see that the Blue Jays are going to have a tough choice to make when it comes to their corner outfielders, and it might be wise to get ahead of the situation a bit. I also believe that barring some significant postseason success in 2022, that the front office will look to tweak this roster in a substantial way, and the outfield might be the place to do it.

With all of that in mind, I feel like that chances are that only one of these three players will still be a Blue Jay by 2024. At 33 years old, I think we can likely take Merrifield off the table, unless he’s more of a second base/utility guy that point and there’s a role for him to return to.

That leaves us with Hernandez and Gurriel Jr., and it won’t be an easy decision if the Jays decide they can only re-sign one of the two. They’re both beloved in the clubhouse and among the fan base, and both have the youth and talent to appeal to the team as extension candidates. However, with an increasing payroll and other salary demands coming in the future, it’s hard to imagine everybody gets paid unless there’s a World Series ring or two involved.

If I had to make a bet on which Blue Jay outfielder will still be here in 2024, I think I’d put my money on it being Gurriel Jr. I didn’t feel that way a year or even six months ago, but to me it seems like the more feasible play for the front office. He’ll likely come a bit cheaper than Herrnandez, as the latter is a two-time Silver Slugger winner with an All-Star appearance on his resume as well, and that kinda thing matters in free agent negotiations. With what could be a tight budget, I flat out think it’ll be harder to be able to find a way to pay Hernandez.

Secondly though, Gurriel Jr. has developed into a quality hitter at the plate, and one that takes a different approach than most of his teammates. That’s a refreshing thing for a Blue Jays lineup that can get a bit redundant at times, and Gurriel Jr’s .299/.351/.406 slash line stands out even if he’s only hit five home runs this year. He also adds a bit of value to the team with his ability to play first base, and in an emergency, he could likely play at other spots in the infield as well.

As I said, it won’t be an easy call for the Blue Jays front office as they decide what to do with their outfield in the future, but if I had to pick a guy that I think will still be around, it’s Lourdes Gurriel Jr.