Ranking the designated hitter possibilities for the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays

What are the potential options available for the Blue Jays to address their DH position for 2024 and how likely will it happen?

Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays v Baltimore Orioles | Jess Rapfogel/GettyImages
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1. Stay internal

Finally, the Jays could just look for an internal solution to meet their needs for their DH position. After all, they appear to already have the potential heir to Belt in Spencer Horwitz. Not only does he also bat left-handed and play in the same position as Belt, he can also hit for average with his great plate discipline and contact hitting. Down in Triple-A Buffalo this past season, Horwitz posted a stellar .337 average and a .945 OPS, along with 61 runs scored, 30 doubles, 10 home runs, 72 RBI, nine stolen bases, 78 walks and 72 strikeouts. He also was a solid contributor in his two short MLB stints in his debut season with the Jays in 2023 as he hit a respectable .256, scored five runs, along with one home run and seven RBI in 15 games. As a result, he definitely deserves a longer look in 2024 to see if he can get the job done.

In addition to Horwitz, Davis Schneider proved this past season that he could also be a strong contributor offensively for the ballclub. In 2023, Schneider mashed eight home runs and 20 RBI in just 35 games, while hitting .276 with an impressive 1.008 OPS. If Schneider doesn’t end up earning a spot in any of the fielding positions, he could potentially fill the DH role admirably with his potent bat and solid run production.

All else fails, if the Jays do not want to fill the role using inexperienced prospects, the club could always go back to how they handled it in the pre-Brandon Belt days. That was when they mainly utilized the DH spot in the lineup for any player that was getting the day off in the field, or by using the bench for matchup purposes. It was only last season when the Jays finally decided to sign a player that would have the majority of their starts at DH such as Belt. So by reverting back to old times, it will provide more playing time for the Jays’ bench players, as well as adequate rest for the everyday starters in the field to keep them fresh and effective.

Probability: High

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