How Andrés Giménez can shed the "worst contract" on the Blue Jays label

Despite running one of the highest payrolls in the league, the Toronto Blue Jays don't actually have a ton of "bad" contracts on their books. There are certainly a few players earning more than they're objectively worth, but it's a well-compensated group because it's one of the best rosters in baseball.

Still, there's always going to be critics in the media. Bleacher Report's annual rankings of the worst contracts on every team in baseball came up with a somewhat surprising pick for the Blue Jays — shortstop Andrés Gimênez — despite the presence of declining starter José Berrios and oft-injured outfielder Anthony Santander.

Giménez isn't necessarily an unfair pick, seeing as he 30% below average at the plate last year (by wRC+) while raking in an annual salary of nearly $20 million. He's a glove-first player, to be sure, but you'd still hope to get a little more offensive juice out of such an expensive investment. With just a bit more consistency at the plate, Giménez can work his way off these kinds of lists this season.

Andrés Giménez can overcome contract complaints with a return to health and form at the plate

Consistency really is Giménez's primary issue. He opened the 2025 campaign with a paltry .542 OPS in March and April, digging himself into a deep hole. However, he found his groove in the ensuing months, posting a 122 wRC+ in May, 72 wRC+ in June, and 295 wRC+ in July.

Of course, Blue Jays fans know what happened next. After three blistering games to start July, Giménez suffered a high ankle sprain that he claims bothered him through the end of the postseason. His production suffered as a result (35 wRC+ in September), which provides hope that he can turn things around now that he's back to full health.

And it's not like he needs to be a Silver Slugger to provide big value to Toronto. The 27-year-old middle infielder is going to try and add a fourth Gold Glove to his trophy cabinet, having collected three straight at the keystone with the Guardians from 2022-24. Even if he doesn't earn such a prestigious honor, Blue Jays fans know he can handle his new position, as he's accrued +8 Outs Above Average and +6 Defensive Runs Saved at short throughout his career.

In truth, Giménez probably deserves to be spared from these kinds of distinctions going forward no matter what he does at the plate. The real disastrous contract on the payroll is that of Anthony Santander, who remains an injury-plagued mess heading into the regular season.