Day before a downer for Upton, Osuna
“We decided go with versatility and years of control . . . Melvin was extremely professional.” ROSS ATKINS JAYS GENERAL MANAGER
The Upton Jr. era is over in Toronto. Melvin, we hardly knew ye.
Acquired from the San Diego Padres last July for minor-league right-hander Hansel Rodriguez, Upton served a purpose in the second half of the 2016 season, platooning in left field against left-handed pitchers and spotting Kevin Pillar now and then in centre. But he earned a total of just 11 at-bats in the Jays’ playoff run.
And with the former second overall pick struggling as much this spring (.194 average) as he did with Toronto last year (.196), the Jays released the toolsy outfielder on the eve of their season opener.
Now, with the Padres still paying the lion’s share of Upton’s 2017 salary, there was no financial downside. The Jays attempted to engineer a trade for Upton, but there seemed no club willing to give up a player when other GMs realized that, by the noon deadline on Sunday, the 32-year-old would have to be released, and be free to sign with anyone.
The Jays have right-handed-hitting Steve Pearce signed for the next two seasons and he needs a place to get enough at-vats to justify his $6.25-million salary. He plays first base and left field as primary positions. He could play left against left-handers and might end up playing first base against a higher number of right-handers than one might imagine.
Recall when Chris Colabello was the Jays’ productive, primary first baseman, even with the switchhitting Justin Smoak on the team. Smoak’s glove at first base will always play in late innings, but not having a strict first-base platoon is not out of the question. The Jays’ major weapon is the starting rotation and, for that reason, they can’t afford any first base for Kendrys Morales.
If it did come down to a choice between Upton and Ryan Goins for the final roster spot, Goins earned it because he is moving towards being a classic utility man, a move that will prolong his major-league career.
He handled first base deftly in spring training, while still excelling at second base and shortstop. He can play left field.
In addition, Goins had no minorleague options remaining and the Jays can control him for four years as opposed to the one season left for Upton.
Even counting switch-hitters in both totals, the Jays’ 12 position players include 11 right-handed bats and just five left-handed.
“We decided to go with versatility, handedness and years of control,” GM Ross Atkins explained. “Melvin was extremely professional as a Blue Jay and was certainly a part of the 2016 success.”
A bigger question and one that is more surprising is the decision, or the need, to disable closer Roberto Osuna after he had thrown an inning in Montreal on Friday. The injury to the 22-year-old ace is listed as a cervical spasm, which takes place in the neck and, according to reliable websites, can take four to six weeks to heal, depending on the severity of the spasm or strain. The earliest Osuna is eligible to return is for the home opener, April 11 vs. the Brewers.
In the meantime, it is expected that manager John Gibbons will mix and match to find the best option for the ninth inning when his club holds the lead. Veteran righthander Jason Grilli was an all-star with the Pirates in 2013. Righty Joe Smith was a fill-in closer for a half season with the 2014 Angels before they acquired Huston Street. Lefty J.P. Howell could also be used late in favourable matchups.
Ryan Tepera and Aaron Loup will have their roles in middle relief, while the newcomer to the mix, Dominic Leone, recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Osuna on the roster, will have a chance to prove himself after parts of three seasons with the Mariners and the Diamondbacks.
Leone, a 25-year-old Connecticut native, made 11 appearances, with a 3.09 ERA this spring, walking four and striking out 15 in 112⁄ innings.
3 He had a solid rookie year in 2014, but has struggled ever since.
Meanwhile, recently released outfielder Chris Coghlan has reported to the Buffalo Bisons and the former NL rookie of the year will be given an opportunity to work himself into the major-league picture. The 31-year-old left-handed hitter is insurance should Ezequiel Carrera be injured or underperform.
“His experiences, his skill set complement our organization and ultimately any way we can build depth, we’ll look to do that,” Atkins said. “The performance with his bat, the fact that he’s a versatile defender, we have some guys that know him well, know what he’s about, seemed like a great fit for the organization.”
The Jays open the season with four players on the shortened 10-day disabled list. In addition to Osuna, there is outfielder Dalton Pompey (concussion), Rule 5 right-hander Glenn Sparkman (broken right thumb) and righty Bo Schultz (Tommy John surgery). All four will get major-league pay and service time while injured.