The Non-Obvious Blue Jays Player Who Has Real Roster Leverage
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The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to make a return to the postseason this year, and potentially enter the long and grueling race to the World Series once again. Considering their offseason moves, this possibility isn't too out of reach.
During the offseason, they navigated their way through free agency and the trade market. Once spring training rolled around, they had acquired notable names, including Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease and had re-signed starter Max Scherzer.
But there were a handful of lesser-known moves that should be of great value to the ballclub. One of their more recent transactions involved outfielder Jesús Sánchez, whom the Blue Jays acquired from the Houston Astros. In return, Toronto shipped out fellow outfielder Joey Loperfido.
This move required the Blue Jays to take on a good chunk of money and missed out on some flexibility; Loperfido could be shuffled between the minors and the Major Leagues. As for Sánchez, his options are much more limited at this point.
Ultimately, this gives him significant roster leverage. Did Toronto make the right move?
Sánchez Is out of Options
As noted by Darragh McDonald of MLB.com, Sánchez is now out of minor league options. This means if he's not granted a spot on the Opening Day roster, he risks being designated for assignment and could enter free agency.
Ballclubs typically try to avoid this by granting them a spot on the roster, sometimes prioritizing them over players who might come with more experience or stronger spring training performances.
Placing Sánchez on the roster wouldn't be a bad deal; he would provide immediate power to the lineup.
Throughout his career in the Major Leagues, he has slashed .269/.322/409 with a .731 OPS and four homers through 90 game appearances. Of course, Sánchez is not one of the primary headliners this year for the Blue Jays, but he's largely underrated.
Having his raw power on deck will be beneficial for Toronto, but only if he can turn up the heat. Not only can he boost its offense, but he also adds some pop on defense in the outfield. Eyebrows were raised when this deal was sealed, but the Blue Jays may have been onto something here.
Now, his performance this spring will dictate his ability to crack a spot on the Opening Day roster. If all goes well, he could end up squeezing himself in there due to his roster leverage.
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.