If Blue Jays serious about AL East, more moves need to be made
The Blue Jays’ signing of Russell Martin and trade for Josh Donaldson were excellent moves, and general manager Alex Anthopoulos is rightly receiving credit for them.
But if the Jays are serious about winning the American League East in 2015, they’re two or three acquisitions away. That is why they’ve talked with the Houston Astros about trading for outfielder Dexter Fowler, and why they’re continuing talks with free-agent outfielder Nick Markakis, sources say.
The Jays began the offseason needing an everyday second baseman, a left-handed-hitting outfielder, a designated hitter (after trading Adam Lind), a right-handed setup man and a closer. They have yet to definitively address any of those positions and must focus on left-handed bats with any additional tinkering. As it stands now, manager John Gibbons could have a lineup with four right-handed hitters in a row: Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Donaldson and Martin. As impressive as the names are, that level of imbalance is not ideal.
The Jays can acceptably open the regular season with the current cast at second base. They acquired prospect Devon Travis from the Tigers; he is about to turn 24 and may be ready to seize the everyday job in the first half of the year. If not, Gibbons could fashion a platoon among Travis, Ryan Goins, Maicer Izturis and Steve Tolleson.
Beyond that, the Jays’ roster isn’t very platoon-friendly. R.A. Dickey has a personal catcher in Josh Thole. Jose Reyes needs periodic days off at shortstop, which probably means borrowing from the platoon at second. And the Jays would be wise to carry another capable center fielder in the event that projected rookie starter Dalton Pompey struggles early on.
That’s why Fowler makes so much sense for Toronto. He could become the everyday center fielder, with Pompey shifting to left (that is, if Pompey isn’t moved in the deal). If Markakis is the choice, he would fit in left field — with Pompey in center and Jose Bautista remaining in right.
One way or the other, the Jays should avoid having a rookie in center and platoon in left, where the decision to cut Andy Dirks and John Mayberry Jr. on Tuesday night has left Kevin Pillar as the lone internal option. That’s just too much uncertainty for a team that is — at last — on the cusp of ending the longest playoff drought in baseball … now that the Royals expunged theirs.
