Blue Jays: 3 tiers of potential outfield targets

The Toronto Blue Jays will have a different look to their team, dugout, and even the broadcast booth in 2023.  

When Teoscar Hernández was jettisoned to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko, it marked a clear shift in team building and had Jays fans wondering, who will they bring in to attempt to replace the high level of production left behind.

The rumor mill has been active ever since then, and the free-agent and trade markets present plenty of interesting players the team could consider. 

Blue Jays: The obvious trade targets

Even before the big trade with Seattle happened, picturing Brandon Nimmo in a Blue Jays uniform made sense. Now, with Hernández out the door and George Springer primed to play less often in center field, it’s a no-brainer. 

He’s a left-handed bat with decent power (16 HR in 2022) and a legitimate centerfielder. Nimmo runs well, gets on base at a great clip (.385 career OBP), and has shown steady improvement defensively. 

The thing is, The Jays are hardly the only team that could use a player like Nimmo, a bidding war is likely and his contract could command five years and over $100 million. With some big obligations already on the books and some more that are in the pipeline, it’s fair to wonder if the club is willing to take on another sizeable deal. 

As the deadline was approaching, there was much speculation about whether or not the Los Angeles Dodgers would keep Cody Bellinger or non-tender him. When he was cut loose, the idea of him suiting up for the Blue Jays seemed, and continues to be, a real possibility. 

Bellinger has big power but has barely hit over .200 over the last three seasons. He is an elite defender in the middle of the outfield and wouldn’t be under a ton of pressure to be the main guy offensively. He could hit in the bottom half of the lineup and would see plenty of pitches to hit.

Bellinger is a strong candidate to receive a one-year deal and then if all works out, test free agency again in 2023. The Jays could have him for a good time, but not a long time and he may choose another team after getting back on track in Toronto. Then again, Belli may be compelled to stick around long-term with the team that gave him another chance. Either way, he’d be a worthwhile risk to take.

Blue Jays: So you’re saying there’s a chance?

After being a mainstay in Clearwater for almost a decade, Kevin Kiermaier struggled with injuries last season and is a free agent for the first time. 

If the Blue Jays really value run prevention, there’s no better defensive outfielder on the market than Kiermaier. He’s a three-time Gold Glove winner and has a career dWAR of 17.7. Kiermaier doesn’t have great power, usually good for 10-15 homers a season, but his speed, ability to cover a ton of ground, and leadership add to his overall value. 

Would he sign with a division rival after spending his entire MLB career in Tampa? It’s fair to wonder and some Jays' supporters would have a tough time welcoming him, especially after the stolen data card controversy of 2021. If the two sides can get over all of that, this could be a mutually beneficial partnership.

As the 2022 season unfolded, the Arizona Diamondbacks showed a great deal of improvement, thanks in large part to one of the most intriguing and versatile players around, Daulton Varsho. 

He broke out in a big way with 27 home runs, 16 stolen bases, a 4.9 bWAR, and several highlight-reel plays in the field. After playing 41 games behind the plate in 2021, Varsho was mostly an outfielder last season, with 71 games in right and 54 in center field. He was still an occasional catcher with 31 games as part of the battery. 

Now, Varsho is under team control until 2027, but the D-Backs are in a position to trade one of their outfielders in order to improve another position group. His versatility and athleticism could make him one of the few players the Blue Jays would be comfortable including Gabriel Moreno in a trade for. 

Considering all Varsho has accomplished in his young career, Moreno would be a starting point, with other players or prospects involved, but his power, defensive prowess, and sneaky speed would be a welcome addition to any team.