Blue Jays Infielder Labeled As Having Worst Contract Entering 2026 Season
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When the Toronto Blue Jays acquired Andrés Giménez from the Cleveland Guardians in December 2024, little did general manager Ross Atkins or manager John Schneider know how big a move that would turn out to be.
A three-time Gold Glove winner with the Guardians at second base from 2022-24, Giménez brought flexibility. When star shortstop Bo Bichette went down in early September with an injury that cost him the rest of the regular season and most of the playoffs, Giménez slotted into Bichette's spot at shortstop and filled the void.
Bichette left this winter in free agency for the New York Mets, which allows Giménez to break spring training as the Blue Jays' starting shortstop. When he was traded to Toronto, Giménez came with a hefty contract where he's owed $86.3 million through 2030. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed each MLB team's worst contract entering the 2026 season and Giménez's was listed as Toronto's worst.
Andrés Giménez Labled As Blue Jays Worst Contract for 2026
Giménez gave Toronto flexibility last year and a big boost, being able to slide over and replace Bichette when he went down with an injury. That flexibility is what makes him valuable going into this season, but his best position is second base.
"With Bichette having departed for the New York Mets in free agency, Giménez will open the season as Toronto's starting shortstop. It's great he can do that, although this is someone who won three Gold Glove Awards from 2022-2024 as a second baseman, taking home the Platinum Glove as the best defender in the AL in 2023. He's an all-world defender at second base, as opposed to just being a good defensive shortstop,'' wrote Kelly.
As good as he was and he is in the field, he struggled last season at the plate and saw his numbers head in the wrong direction from what they were in Cleveland. He slashed .210/.285/.313 for Toronto with a WAR that tumbled from 4.0 with the Guardians to 1.1 in 2025 with the Blue Jays. His OPS is concerning as well.
"More concerning is that since posting an .837 OPS as a member of the Cleveland Guardians in 2022, Giménez has a .657 OPS. As a tremendous defender with infield flexibility, Giménez still has value, but right now, he's a very expensive, below-average offensive player,'' added Kelly.
Giménez signed a seven-year, $106.5 million deal with Cleveland and has a $23 million club option for 2030. It remains to be seen how this contract plays out, but if Giménez can't have a bounce-back season for a team that is a serious World Series contender, then it is not surprising that it is the worst contract Toronto has this season.
Scott Roche has covered both college and professional sports for nearly three decades for various outlets. Scott has covered the MLB, NHL, and college sports and he is someone always looking for a good rumor, no matter which sport it is.