DUNEDIN, Fla. — Technically talking, the Toronto Blue Jays haven’t finalized their opening day roster but. The best way supervisor Charlie Montoyo describes it, the contest continues for a couple of open bullpen spots and there’s nonetheless a bench function to be had — even after the business that despatched Reese McGuire to the Chicago White Sox for fellow catcher Zack Collins.
However barring the sudden, the most important parts of this group at the moment are in position.
Alejandro Kirk’s defensive significance to the Blue Jays handiest grows after the departure of McGuire, who had labored with Toronto’s pitchers for the ultimate 4 seasons. Greg Hen nonetheless turns out well-positioned to say the group’s ultimate open 40-man spot and earn a bench function. And with admire to the relievers preventing for the remainder bullpen spots, the ones selections gained’t basically adjust the form of this group.
Via now, we all know what the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be. The extra fascinating questions revolve round how the avid gamers might be deployed.
On that entrance, the business of McGuire for Collins marks a refined however important shift. Whilst each are 27-year-old catchers who hit from the left aspect, their profiles as avid gamers are very other. The place McGuire’s greatest power is his glove, the Blue Jays are maximum intrigued by means of Collins’ bat. His revel in at the back of the plate is an asset, in fact, however he might finally end up getting used extra as a delegated hitter or pinch hitter.
Whilst Collins has an entire life OPS of simply .645, a few of his underlying numbers counsel he has higher offensive upside. For his occupation, he has a barrel fee of eleven.4 according to cent, a median go out pace of 91.1 m.p.h. and a max go out pace of 109.9 m.p.h. — all upper than McGuire’s. On a group that tilts closely to the correct, his left-handed bat has the risk to end up helpful. If no longer, the purchase value was once modest for a corporation that’s already deep in catching.
Defensively talking, some within the trade view Collins as below-average. However as Kirk has endured creating at the back of the plate, he changed into a extra vital a part of the Blue Jays’ defensive plans. With one notable exception, the Blue Jays had been certain to pair Kirk with all in their pitchers this spring in an try to construct familiarity.
“That is why we love everyone catching everyone,” supervisor Charlie Montoyo mentioned Sunday morning, sooner than the business were finished. “That’s what truly took place this spring and everyone were given each pitcher except for (Danny) Jansen, who was once the one person who were given (Hyun-Jin) Ryu.”
The Blue Jays received some flexibility with the business: Collins has minor-league choices closing whilst McGuire does no longer. Whilst Collins has a possibility to damage camp with the group, rosters will shrink from 28 to 26 on Would possibly 1. They’ll have the versatility to ship Collins to the minors if that’s helpful within the weeks forward.
After all, there’s additionally the query of the way the Blue Jays use their current avid gamers and Sunday’s lineup introduced some additional readability there. Previous within the week, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were hitting within the two hollow, however the Blue Jays moved him again to the 3rd spot within the lineup Sunday and he ran across the bases like a leadoff hitter.
Within the first inning, Guerrero Jr. ran thru a forestall signal at 3rd base, scoring the entire approach from first on a Yankees throwing error to the pleasure of the Blue Jays enthusiasts at TD Ballpark.
Later on, Guerrero Jr. defined he didn’t see 3rd base trainer Luis Rivera telling him to decelerate. However regardless: after stealing a base Saturday, it’s transparent the 23-year-old is shifting nicely.
“Bodily I believe much better,” Guerrero Jr. mentioned thru interpreter Hector Lebron after the 7-5 win over the Yankees. “I believe quicker. I will be able to run the bases much better than ultimate 12 months. Bodily I believe very, excellent presently.”
The Blue Jays intend to be competitive at the bases in 2022 with the likes of Bo Bichette and Raimel Tapia set to thieve bases ceaselessly. After a 48-homer season in 2021, it’s transparent Guerrero Jr. is a greater hitter than he’s a base stealer however that doesn’t imply he couldn’t run extra if he sought after to.
“That’s the only factor about Vlad Guerrero,” Montoyo mentioned. “He can be a 30-30 (participant) if he attempted. I’m telling you. Other people don’t assume he’s speedy. We don’t need him to be 30-30, however 30-10? I’ll take that. Or 40-10. He may just do it.”
As for the batting order, the Blue Jays consider their avid gamers are in the event that they’re comfy below other cases. And after a 12 months through which Montoyo used 133 other batting orders, it is transparent the times of a unmarried lineup are lengthy long gone.
As for Guerrero Jr.’s desire?
“It doesn’t subject,” he mentioned. “I simply wish to be within the lineup. It doesn’t subject the place the executive places me in, I’m simply going to move out and do my process.”
In 2021, when Guerrero Jr. hit 48 house runs on his technique to a second-place MVP end, he hit 3rd 135 occasions. When he wasn’t batting 3rd, he hit moment maximum frequently (18 video games) adopted by means of 5th (seven video games) and cleanup (as soon as).
How that breakdown appears in 2022 is still observed. And whether or not he continues operating like that is secondary, too. Maximum vital of all: Because the season attracts nearer, the Blue Jays’ maximum vital participant is feeling robust — and speedy.
