Top 5 shortstops in Blue Jays franchise history by WAR

When it comes to the shortstops that have ever donned a Toronto Blue Jays jersey over their 47-year history, many notable names may come to mind. Whether it be the savvy Alfredo Griffin, to the slick Manuel Lee, along with fan favourite John McDonald, all the way to one of the game’s best at one time in Troy Tulowitzki, each and every one of them made their mark in one way or another with the team.

But if we were to rank the five best Jays shortstops of all-time based on FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (fWAR), which takes into consideration their overall impact and contributions in all facets of the game, who would be able to make the distinguished list? Without further ado, let’s begin the elusive countdown.

#5 José Reyes (7.2 fWAR)

José Reyes will forever be remembered by the Jays’ faithful not for what he accomplished with the team, but for being a huge part in two of the club’s biggest trades in franchise history. The first one came back in 2012, when the Jays and Miami Marlins engaged in a huge blockbuster trade that saw Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonifácio head to Toronto in exchange for Henderson Álvarez, Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis, Anthony DeSclafani and Justin Nicolino. The deal was made because the Jays hoped it would finally elevate them back into strong contending status once again after several years of mediocrity. Well, they eventually met that goal, but not until a couple years later, so the trade didn’t not provide the immediate impact as expected.

The second one involved Reyes being sent away this time at the 2015 trade deadline along with Jeff Hoffman, Jesús Tinoco and Miguel Castro for superstar Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins. The all-in move by GM Alex Anthopoulos at the time ended up paying huge dividends as it provided the much-needed boost for the Jays down the stretch to help them make the postseason for the first time since 1993.

As a four-time All-Star and one-time Silver Slugger winner, Reyes was also one of the most prolific hitters and speedsters in the league prior to the trade to Toronto. He led the league in triples and stolen bases on multiple occasions, along with even capturing the batting title in 2011. However, the days in which he consistently posted elite speed and hitting numbers were behind him when he arrived in town. Nevertheless, he still managed to provide solid production over his two and a half years with the Jays by posting a .289 batting average, .738 OPS, along with 188 runs scored, 70 doubles, 4 triples, 23 home runs, 122 RBI and 61 stolen bases in 305 games played.

Had Reyes been hitting like his early days with the New York Mets, he surely would have found himself a lot higher on this list. But considering the fact that he was just “average” with respect to his standards during his Jays’ tenure while still making the number five spot on their all-time shortstops list speaks volumes of his utmost skills and abilities even when not at his best.

#4 Marco Scutaro (7.3 fWAR)

During the 2007-2008 offseason, Marco Scutaro was acquired by the Jays from the Oakland Athletics in a lopsided trade that saw minor league prospects Kristian Bell and Graham Godfrey go the other way. When it came to bonafide shortstops that have previously played for the Jays, Scutaro probably isn’t the first one that comes to mind. But it just so happens that he had two of his best years of his career both at the plate and in the field with the team in 2008 and 2009. 

In 2008, Scutaro amassed a solid stats line of .267/.341/.356/.697, along with 76 runs scored, 7 home runs and 60 RBI while effectively playing all over the infield as a utilityman. He would follow that up with a huge year in 2009 where he had a more defined role in becoming the team’s primary shortstop for the entire season. Scutaro went on to set career highs in runs scored (100), home runs (12j, stolen bases (14) and walks (90).

More importantly, he transformed into a defensive wizard during his brief stint with the Jays. After averaging mainly in the negatives for DRS throughout his career, Scutaro compiled a massive 33 DRS in total along with maintaining a strong fielding percentage above .984 in his two seasons in Toronto.

The Jays were interested in re-signing him following the 2009 season, but Scutaro landed a two-year deal worth $11M with the Boston Red Sox. His time with the Jays may have been short, but with standout plays like this, he will always be remembered in the hearts of many loyal Jays‘ fans.

If that wasn’t enough convincing evidence of his excellence, then his official fourth place ranking on the all-time list now certainly proves it.

#3 Alex Gonzalez (8.0 fWAR)

To make things clear right off the bat, we are referring to the ancient Alex Gonzalez back in the 1990s and not the one that played half a season with the Jays in 2010.

Gonzalez was a former 13th round pick of the Jays back in the 1991 MLB Draft. He first appeared on the scene in 1994 following the back-to back championship-winning seasons by the club. As a rookie at the time, Gonzalez wasn’t able to maintain his starting gig after struggling in his first 15 games and was subsequently replaced by veteran Dick Schofield the rest of the way. Little did the Jays and Gonzalez know that he would become their mainstay at shortstop for the following seven seasons while becoming one of the underrated hometown heroes along the way.

The perplex thing about Gonzalez was that he wasn’t exceptionally good or bad in whatever he did. Yet he provided enough steady run production and defense across the eight years he spent with the Jays. Overall, Gonzalez batted .245 with a .691 OPS, 77 OPS+, 407 runs scored, 172 doubles, 20 triples, 83 home runs, 350 RBI, 85 stolen bases and 64 sacrifice hits in 890 career games with the team. For a club that had not been known for successfully putting down sacrifice bunts/hits over the past few decades, Gonzalez was one of the rare breeds that was a master at it, including leading the American League with 16 back in the 2000 season. Whether the Jays needed a walk, move a runner over, or drive in a run, he would often get the job done at the right moment.

So unlike the more elite star power in Reyes and Scutaro above, Gonzalez comes in at the number three spot on this list due to his long-term solid contributions over his extensive tenure with the club. With a heartwarming smile always on his face whenever he played, it’s no wonder he was among the fan favourites back in his time.

#1 Tony Fernández (35.1 fWAR)

Prior to the arrival of Bichette, if any diehard fan were ever asked who the best Jays shortstop ever was, without a question the first name to pop up would be none other than the late Tony Fernández. From the way he played and approached the game, Fernández truly defined what a prototypical major league shortstop should be like. A master of slick, finesse, accurate throws in the field like a work of art, along with a consistent sweet short swing hitting from both sides of the plate, there was no other player that played the game the way he did.

The five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner was so good that the Jays actually had him for four overall stints with the club. His first tenure was where his elusive career all began between 1983 to 1990, then he was back for one year in 1993, then for another couple in 1998-99, and finally in 2001 to finish off his career. Over his 12 years with the team, he batted .297 with a .765 OPS, 106 OPS+, along with 704 runs scored, 291 doubles, 72 triples, 60 home runs, 613 RBI, 172 stolen bases, 439 walks and 493 strikeouts. From the bigger picture, Fernández is also the Jays’ overall franchise leader in games played with 1450, hits with 1583 and triples with 72, along with ranking in the top five in runs scored, doubles, stolen bases, and career batting average.

Even when Fernández wasn’t a part of the Jays, he was helping the team as well when he, along with Fred McGriff, were traded in a blockbuster to the San Diego Padres for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter back during that unforgettable 1990 offseason. If it wasn’t for Fernández’s pedigree in both his hitting and defensive prowess, the Jays would not have net such a key assets that ultimately led them to their two successful championship runs in 1992 and 1993. More deservingly, he was re-acquired by the Jays during their 1993 run to enable him to finally be an integral part of the team’s success after spending multiple gruelling seasons in the 1980s with the developing ballclub.

His tremendous achievements with the team spread over two decades have been recognized and put in its rightful place on the Jays’ Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre. He may be passed by Bichette one day on the all-time list, but in the hearts of many long-time devoted fans everywhere, Fernández will always be one of the best ever to wear a Jays’ uniform.