Three options for the Blue Jays to deal with their outfield problem

With Anthony Santander hitting the 10-day IL on Friday with left shoulder inflammation, there’s an open spot on the roster.  While Santander was hitting just .179 with a .577 OPS and a team-worst 55 strikeouts in 50 games he’s still brings a presence in this batting order, because it felt like at any point he was on the verge of breaking out of his season long slump. From May 1 through May 24, he was slashing .245/.344/.377 with two home runs and eight walks. Not great numbers, but trending in the right direction.

But now that he is out, the question is, what can the Blue Jays do to fill the void that Santander’s absence will leave in their lineup?

Three options for the Blue Jays to deal with their outfield problem

Option 1: Keep going with what you have internally

The Blue Jays recalled Alan Roden from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday to replace Santander giving the Blue Jays six outfielders on the big-league roster. Two of them are legitimate everyday players and have been producing as such with Daulton Varsho and George Springer. Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw and Jonathan Clase have all filled in as the fourth outfield / DH option to varying degrees when Santander was healthy, and have all put up good numbers given their role. They have combined for 64 hits, a .278 batting average and .338 on-base percentage.

If Roden can carry his success at triple-a to the big leagues, he will be a welcomed addition to that group as he slashed .361/.446/.583 with 26 hits in 72 plate appearances.

Unfortunately, all four of these players have very similar profiles as defense-first guys who, at their best, can make solid contact but don’t bring much power to the plate, combining for six home runs this season.

Option 2: Find a power bat

While the Blue Jays have started to hit home runs at a much higher rate over the last month, (averaging one home run for every 25.47 at-bats, 4th in the league), their outfield compliment lacks a true power threat.

 If the Blue Jays go out to the market now, they may have to pay a premium price, but it could be worth it to bring in someone like Taylor Ward. Ward has been for the Angels, exactly what the Blue Jays were hoping Santander would be for Toronto, with16 home runs which are tied for fourth in the league. He doesn’t hit the ball very often with a .220 batting average and .272 on-base percentage, but when he does, they go a long way.

He is also tied for the eighth most strikeouts in the league with 65 – so there is some downside to his big power cuts. However, Ward would give the Blue Jays something they are currently lacking among their outfields, a true power bat. Ward could play an everyday role in Santander’s absence, plus a hybrid platoon / DH role while also giving manager John Schneider a true weapon to turn to when it is late in a close game.

Option 3: Find a legitimate lead-off option

Bo Bichette has been stellar in the number one spot for the Blue Jays, slashing .279/.327/.434 with seven home runs in the month of May. What the Blue Jays could do is find a hitter who profiles as an on-base machine to bat in front of Bo and move everyone else down the lineup.

The players who do this the best are very coveted and again, would likely cost a premium, but there could be some bargains out there on guys that have proven over their careers that they can get on base.

Maybe the Nationals are willing to part with the veteran Amed Rosario (.303/.333/.449). Perhaps the Pirates will give their longtime captain Andrew McCutchen a chance to win it all before he retires. The 38-year-old has a .364 OBP with a walk percentage in the 88th percentile and a chase percentage in the 86th percentile.

This player doesn’t necessarily have to be an outfielder, just someone who could slot in at the top of the lineup who could play various positions and give the core more opportunities with runners on base, including Santander, when he returns. Positional versatility would be key here though as the Blue Jays also have Andres Gimenez returning soon as well.

The Blue Jays have some options on the table in the absence of Santander and making the wrong decision could have long-term effects on the success of their season.