Shaw signing fills hole at first base
Three days after Justin Smoak signed with Milwaukee, the Blue Jays landed an ex-Brewer to replace him at first base.
On Sunday morning, the Jays agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent Travis Shaw — worth up to $4.675 million (U.S.) with incentives, according to a report by MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Toronto hadn’t formally announced the signing, but Shaw promptly changed his Instagram bio to read “Infielder for Toronto Blue Jays.”
The 29-year-old Shaw saw time at first, second and third base with the Brewers and offers upside and power to an organization in need of a middle-of-the-order bat. He was non-tendered by Milwaukee in early December after slumping to a .157 average with just seven home runs and 16 RBIs in 2019. But the newest Jay launched 63 homers and drove in 187 runs with the Brewers in 2017 and 2018 combined.
The son of former big leaguer Jeff Shaw — who pitched for the Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers in a 12year career — was drafted by Boston in 2011 and made his big-league debut at the Rogers Centre in 2015 as a member of the Red Sox.
The Ohio native spent the bulk of playing time in Milwaukee at third base, but is expected to start at first for the Jays, where Rowdy Tellez is the incumbent. Versatility across the infield is something that has appealed to the Jays, though, and wasn’t available from Smoak or another reported target, former Jay Edwin Encarnacion.