Blue Jays Infielder Left Out of Top 10 in Latest MLB Shortstop Rankings
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The Toronto Blue Jays made some significant moves during their offseason in preparation for their upcoming campaign. On the other side of the coin, they also lost a major piece to their puzzle, shortstop Bo Bichette, who is now playing for the New York Mets.
Despite this frustrating loss, the Blue Jays are still equipped with a promising shortstop—Andrés Giménez.
But Buster Olney of ESPN recently compiled his latest Top 10 MLB shortstop rankings, and the 27-year-old did not crack the list. Was he snubbed of the recognition, or does his injurious history simply raise too many red flags?
Was Giménez Snubbed?
Giménez has a history of falling victim to the injured list, but once Bichette got injured back in September of last year, Giménez stepped right up to the shortstop role and played a valuable role on defense for Toronto. During his campaign, he slashed .210/.285/.313 with a .598 OPS and seven homers through 101 games. Clearly, his offensive power was not up to par compared to some of his slugging teammates.
This marked his first year playing with the Blue Jays, after spending four consecutive years with the Cleveland Guardians, where he slashed .261/.321/.393 with a .714 OPS. However, his rookie year was spent with the Mets, logging a slash line of .263/.333/.398 with a .732 OPS.
Giménez doesn't often have the slugging power that many in Toronto have, which led to rumors regarding the chances of him potentially being traded, and with a declining bat, it's understandable why. However, he could provide stability at shortstop, and perhaps he's being overlooked in this set of rankings.
His performance last year was certainly not a desirable way to kick off his first season with the Blue Jays, but that doesn't mean he has to stay down heading into his next campaign. Of course, his ability to stay healthy will ultimately determine how things play out. Any remaining confidence in him will rapidly dwindle if he gets knocked down with another bout of injuries.
This could be a turnaround season for Giménez, and for Toronto's sake, hopes are held high that he will bounce back. If he can prove himself to be consistent and reliable at the plate and around the diamond this year, he will inevitably climb in the rankings and start gaining credibility once again. Is this going to be a comeback year for him, or is he heading toward a downward spiral?
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.