Why Daulton Varsho's injury could help this new Blue Jay

Myles Straw's introduction to Toronto came in perhaps the worst possible way.

In January, the Blue Jays shocked the baseball world by acquiring Straw (and the $11 million on his contract) in exchange for $2 million in international pool money. While Straw was the only player "involved" in the deal, he was more of an afterthought since the $2 million in international pool money was for Toronto's pursuit of Roki Sasaki.

Now, some two months later, Sasaki 's wowing with the Dodgers on the West Coast and Straw's still a Blue Jays. But, luckily for Toronto, he's also been a star.

And, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding Daulton Varsho's shoulder, it seems like Straw could get a chance to prove himself at Rogers Centre sooner rather than later.

Myles Straw seems poised to help the Blue Jays in 2025

In a new interview with Sportsnets' Ben Nicholson-Smith, Straw spoke about the trade and his mindset going into the season. While Straw said that he was surprised by the trade, he's excited to be in Toronto.

“I was shocked, and pretty excited about it,” Straw told Sportsnet. “New beginnings are always nice, especially with this team. I think it’s a fantastic team to be playing for, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

A Gold Glover in 2022 with Cleveland, Straw's offensive production tailed off in 2022 and '23 (combined 66 OPS+ in those two seasons), which led to Cleveland placing the outfielder on waivers last spring.

No teams put in a claim for him and the $19.2 million he was owed at the time, so he spent almost all of 2024 in Triple-A.

But you wouldn't believe it based off this spring. Straw's been a welcome surprise for the Blue Jays so far, as he's slashing .476/.478/.667 this spring with one home run and six RBI in 11 games.

"We all know what he can do in the outfield and on the bases,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, per Nicholson-Smith. “And I think his at-bats have been pretty consistent. He's been better than we had hoped in the batter's box."

But regardless of how Straw's at-bats have been this season, his best chance to make an impact on the Blue Jays is with his legs. He ranked as in the 89th percentile or better in outfield range in both of his full seasons this Cleveland along with finishing in the 94th and 92nd precentile in sprint speed.

Straw always felt a bit miscast in Cleveland. While he theoretically has the skillset needed to play everyday, he's always seemed best deployed as a fourth outfielder who can be a pinch runner or defensive replacement.

And, with Varsho still working his way back from shoulder surgery, that's exactly how he could impact Toronto's roster.

Varsho's just been limited to designated hitter this spring due to his shoulder recvery, though he continues to creep closer to being able to play in the field. He played catch from 90-100 feet over the weekend and "felt good", but he likely still has a couple hurdles to clear before the team will feel comfortable with him playing the field.

The biggest thing standing in Straw's way is his roster standing. Straw's not on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, so he could only be added to the team's major league roster is someone is placed on the 60-man injured list or designated for assignment.

But even if Straw doesn't make the team out of camp, it seems like he'll fit into the Blue Jays' roster picture at some point this season.

"You come out here and try to prove yourself,” Straw told Nicholson-Smith. “Just having a nice, fun atmosphere makes it all just a little bit easier. So, I’m just enjoying every day.”