Has Myles Straw been the best offseason addition for the Toronto Blue Jays?

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw has been the most surprising offseason addition for his team so far this season, and he may also be the best. Acquired on January 17th from the Cleveland Guardians along with international bonus pool money for cash considerations (Cleveland agreed to send Toronto $3.75 million over the next two seasons to cover Straw’s salary partially), and a player to be named, the move was widely criticized as a desperate attempt to land Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki.

At the time, the Jays were among the final two teams the phenom Sasaki was considering, and the $2 million of additional bonus pool funds were seen as the upside of taking on Straw’s considerable (five years, $25 million, expiring in 2026) contract. Of course, we now know that Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers five days after the Straw trade, and he’s been on the IL since early May after an uneven start that saw him pitch to a 4.72 ERA through eight games. 

Has Myles Straw been the best offseason addition for the Toronto Blue Jays?

Straw was coming off a season spent almost exclusively in the minor leagues, and though he went to the Blue Jays with a reputation as a stellar defensive outfielder, he was no lock to crack the Opening Day roster. Even if he was on the team initially, most thought it would only be until fellow centerfielder Daulton Varsho returned from a rotator cuff injury, which was expected by late April. 

Then, the regular season started, and Straw did the unexpected by coming out of the gate swinging a hot bat, hitting .304 in a part-time role through April. His numbers have dropped back to close to his career averages, but the 30-year-old has continued to make an impact with his hustle, contact skills, and outstanding range in the outfield. 

Varsho returned on schedule and provided an immediate spark, and hit eight homers in just 24 games before a hamstring injury put him back on the IL. Through it all, Straw has received steady playing time and has combined with Nathan Lukes for a dynamic platoon in center field. He’s made several highlight-reel worthy catches, including a pair during a series sweep over the Seattle Mariners in May, and his all-out speed forced a pair of throwing errors by the New York Yankees in a pivotal win this week. 

There’s no doubt Straw’s role will change when Varsho returns to the lineup, but there’s also no questioning his place on this team anymore. He’s gone from a questionable trade acquisition to a valuable glue guy and has, improbably, become the Jays’ best off-season addition. His traditional stats are modest: .240 average, one home run, 10 doubles, 17 RBI, but Straw has earned a 1.6 bWAR, thanks largely to a 1.5 dWAR. His value is undeniable, just primarily defensively, where his 96th percentile range has produced seven outs above average, and a 94th percentile sprint speed has led to seven stolen bases in eight attempts. 

By comparison, the Blue Jays' other high-profile position player offseason additions, Andrés Gimenez (1.1 bWAR, 61 games played, currently on IL) and Anthony Santander (-0.9 bWAR, 50 games, .577 OPS), have largely been disappointments. Jeff Hoffman was the significant free agent signing as the new closer, as he’s had an up-and-down first season in Toronto. He’s 6-3, with a 4.78 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, with 60 strikeouts in 43.1 innings (12.5 K/9 IP), and in third is the American League with 24 saves. All of that has equaled a 0.0 bWAR, while Nick Sandlin has been limited to 16.1 innings and a 0.3 bWAR due to injuries.

That is just one comparison tool, and some may argue that the crucial outs Hoffman has gotten are worth more than Straw’s contributions. As a position player, he has more opportunities to impact the game, and the coaching staff knows who he is and how to get the most out of him on a team that is firing on all cylinders right now.