Blue Jays updated starting lineup after the Justin Turner signing

With the recent signing of veteran slugger Justin Turner to a one-year, $13M contract, their roster for the 2024 season is beginning to take shape as their offseason retooling is approaching completion. With the power bat of Turner now in the mix, how might the Jays’ 2024 starting lineup look like? 

Many may believe now that the Jays got their much-needed power bat, what better place to put their new signing than in the cleanup spot. That way, it would maximize run production and provide valuable protection for Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. However, Turner has actually batted in the 4th spot in only 93 games in his career, where he has sported a less-than-stellar .260 batting and .756 OPS with just 9 home runs and 51 RBI. On the other hand, he is most comfortable in the third spot, having spent more than 40% of the time there throughout his career. In doing so, he has compiled a strong .292 average and an .853 OPS, along with 362 runs scored, 103 home runs and 362 RBI in 641 games played. Considering also that he had one of his most productive seasons last year at the age of 38 with a struggling Boston Red Sox team while mainly batting third as well, it would be wise for the Jays to play to his strength to maximize his effectiveness in the lineup.

As a result, the Jays’ new projected starting lineup coud look something like this:

George Springer will be back in right field and his usual leadoff spot to lead the offensive attack. Bichette will also be back in his regular shortstop position and second spot in the batting order, teaming up with Springer to maximize both speed and being able to get on base at the top of the lineup. Given Turner’s deficiencies in his defence in recent years, he should be primarily given the DH role and bat third for reasons outlined above. In addition, players with high batting averages along with good contact hitting tend to fit in the third spot well, as in the case for Turner. As one of the ballclub’s big-time players, it is about time Guerrero finally proves his worth by hitting cleanup to deal the most damage to opposing teams.

With the much-improved play of Cavan Biggio towards the end of the 2023 season both at the plate and in the field, he will get to start the season at second base along with batting in the middle part of the order in the fifth spot. This will be key as with Biggio hitting left-handed, it begins the effective chain of alternating batters’ handedness for the bottom half of the batting order to throw off pitching matchups. After showing signs of being a bonafide clutch hitter last year, Danny Jansen will get the start at catcher and hit sixth, with Alejandro Kirk getting the call on days Jansen is resting. 

Daulton Varsho returns to left field and will be hitting seventh, with hopes to have a more productive season in his second year with the ballclub following a disappointing one at the plate in 2023. Rumor has it that he'll form a platoon in the outfield with Davis Schneider.

Given his stellar defence and longer tenure with the ballclub, Santiago Espinal will get the call over utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa to begin the season at third base where he once shone before and will hit eighth. Finally, centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier will be back in his potent ninth spot from last season to continue to wreck havoc at the bottom part of the lineup.

The overall starting lineup on paper appears to be a bit of a downgrade from last season with the loss of firepower in Matt Chapman, Whit Merrifield, and Brandon Belt. But if some of the Jays can put together a big year while the stars of the team end up producing like they should, they could be the surprising, underrated contenders for the 2024 season.