3 ways the Blue Jays can shake things up, 2 moves they need to avoid

2. Bring Up the Kids

Yes, we all remember when ‘Babe’ Schneider burst onto the scene after being called up from the minors in 2023, effectively saving the season with an extended supernova performance just as the offense had reached rock bottom. Why then should the Jays not try for something similar in 2024, especially considering that, with all due respect, the prospects currently down on the farm are a heck of a lot more highly regarded than Davis Schneider, not to mention absolutely setting the world on fire at this very moment.

Seriously, down at Triple-A, blue chip prospects Orelvis Martinez and Addison Barger are currently slashing .290/.361/.950 and .314/.435/1.021 respectively, while the oft-overlooked Spencer Horwitz is sitting at a mind-bending .350/.477/.953. Why not call up all three of these guys and see what they can do? Why not see if they can capture some of their own magic, and perhaps earn their own endearing nickname? Is the type of confidence that comes from swinging a hot stick not exactly what the Blue Jays lineup needs right now?

The answer to these questions is another question – is the Blue Jays season really going to spiral out of control?

If so, then the concern is that bringing the next generation into a toxic environment of unexpected failure may crush their future development. Just look at what happened to poor Addison Barger in his cup of coffee last week – 1/15 at the plate with six strikeouts and no walks, alongside struggles in the field which included multiple blunders on the same play on more than one occasion. He almost looked like a guy straining under the pressure to save a struggling team.

If you believe that the season is already a write off, then the ideal would be to start fresh next year, or at least after the trade deadline, when the next generation can learn the ropes in a lower stress environment, one not tinged by the painful fog of unanticipated calamity.

But then, that’s just it. Surprising as it may seem, the Toronto Blue Jays are already facing the question of whether this season is over. Who could have seen this coming? No one … or perhaps, everyone.

So, are the Blue Jays finished in 2024, or is it too early for such a proclamation? What shake up on the list above should they employ to right the ship, or is there something the list has missed? Let me know on the platform formerly known as Twitter – @WriteFieldDeep.