Former popular Blue Jays outfielder is an ideal reunion candidate

The Toronto Blue Jays have an important offseason ahead of them as they endeavor to return to contention following a bitterly disappointing 2024 campaign. They have holes to fill in the lineup and pitching staff and will need to be aggressive and strategic if the front office is to deliver on the declaration to return to relevance in 2025.

One of the areas the team will look to upgrade is in the outfield, and one of the better fits available could be free agent Randal Grichuk, who spent four years with the franchise from 2018-2021. The 33-year-old was a productive player in blue, hitting .243 with 90 home runs, 257 RBI, and a .751 OPS (100 OPS+). His best season came in 2019 when the former first-round pick blasted a career-high 31 homers.

Adding depth to the outfield group is an essential area of improvement for Toronto this winter. The combination of Davis Schneider and Joey Loperfido combined to play most of the reps in left field to play out the string last season, and there’s no guarantee either one will be on the roster next year. Nor is there likely to be much of an appetite for bringing those two back to platoon in that spot, considering the desire to field a competitive team next spring. 

Although he’s played the most games in his career in right field, Grichuk is a capable fielder in all three outfield positions and would be asked to play center and right fields with Daulton Varsho returning from surgery and needing the occasional day off and with George Springer continuing to log less time in the field.

We know that Grichuk is often at his best when he’s not being asked to play every day, and that’s the situation he’d be in with the Blue Jays. He could be in the lineup three to four times a week, available as a pinch-hitter or runner, and a veteran leader in the dugout at other times. Pairing the right-handed hitter with someone like Loperfido or Nathan Lukes would allow the club to fill a major need by promoting from within and by bringing back an old favorite on what should be a high-value signing.

Perhaps the most appealing part of Grichuk’s game is the consistency of his bat. He has averaged 20 home runs per season going back to 2015 and has an above-average OPS of .768 (104 OPS+) since debuting a decade ago.

During his previous Jays tenure, Grichuk was touted as a savior (signed to an extension the same day fan favorite Kevin Pillar was traded away) before being traded when the outfield got crowded with bigger names (Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer). He may not be the best free agent on the open market, but his fit is obvious, and he’d represent a step in the right direction.