Springer signing should be just a start
Team still has needs, and free-agent market is still overstocked
The question popped up almost immediately after news broke that George Springer would be signing with the Blue Jays: Who’s next? The club made Springer’s six-year, $150-million (U.S.) deal official on Saturday morning. But on paper, the Jays still need pitching and infield help to reach the next level. Here are some prime freeagent options still available:
THE ROTATION
Yes, Trevor Bauer is still out there. Yes, the Jays are still reportedly one of the teams in on him. But there is only one Bauer, so they must consider other arms.
Canadian lefty James Paxton struggled with a flexor strain that limited him to 20 ⁄ innings 1
3 with the New York Yankees last year after an impressive 2019 (15-6, 3.82 ERA, 186
strikeouts). If he’s healthy again, he could work near the front of the rotation.
Right-hander Jake Odorizzi has similar injury misfortunes with the Minnesota Twins in 2020, managing just 132⁄3 innings. If he can get back to his workhorse self — at least 143 ⁄3
1 innings a year between 2014 and 2019 — he could help any rotation.
And Taijuan Walker, younger than most free agents at 28, told FanGraphs this month that he would happily return to the Jays and work with pitching coach Pete Walker. Walker went 5-1 with a 1.37 ERA after arriving in a mid-season trade with Seattle.
THE BULLPEN
Brad Hand’s foray into free agency was unexpected, but the frugal Cleveland Indians declined the 30-year-old southpaw’s $10-million club option last fall. Hand excelled in 2020, leading the AL in saves (16) with a 2.05 ERA, 33.7 strikeout rate and 4.7 per cent walk rate. Despite a dip in his fastball velocity, he’s seen as the best available reliever after Liam Hendriks signed a jaw-dropping $54-million deal with the White Sox.
Other fits include Jake McGee, a key lefty in the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen last year with a 2.66 ERA and a career-best 14.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and right-hander Alex Colome, who closed for the White Sox last season and posted a 0.81 ERA in 21 appearances.
THE INFIELD
Veteran shortstops Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien and Andrelton Simmons stand out for different reasons.
Gregorius’ left-handed bat could be of interest to the Jays, who are righty heavy — and might look to trade lefty Rowdy Tellez if they land another infielder.
Simmons has won four gold gloves, but his recent injury history is a concern at age 31. He played just 133 games over the past two seasons with the Angels because of ankle injuries.
Semien, a year removed from finishing third in AL MVP voting, declined in almost all areas at the plate: from a 2019 slashline of .285/.369/.522 to .223/ .305/.374. He has the biggest offensive upside of the three, however, and 50 career games at third base could be a factor for the Jays.
Also still out there: second baseman Kolten Wong, a gold glove winner the past two seasons who had his $12.5-million contract option declined by the St. Louis Cardinals. His lefty bat is league average, but he can also play in the outfield in a pinch and run prevention should be a Blue Jays priority. Adding Wong, though, might mean moving Cavan Biggio to third base more often than they would like.