The Blue Jays’ front office has been taking a lot of heat this off-season about its body of work. While the Yankees and Orioles improved
significantly, the team up north has remained relatively the same.
Centre-fielder Kevin Kiermaier and reliever Chad Green were brought back, and designated hitter Justin Turner recently signed a one-
year deal. A four-year contract for swingman Yariel Rodriguez is expected to be made official in the coming days.
Those moves pale in comparison to what happened elsewhere. The Yankees might be banking on internal improvement from an
underperforming lineup but that didn’t stop them from acquiring star slugger Juan Soto and outfielder Alex Verdugo. Former Jay
Marcus Stroman was added to upgrade the rotation. The Orioles filled a big hole by trading for ace Corbin Burnes.
The Jays have struggled to come up with a big move of their own. They remain a favourite to make the playoffs but, come March, few
experts will pick them to win the division. That has led to complaints from fans and columnists — such as yours truly — that what the
Jays have done to date isn’t nearly enough.
Yet it’s possible to criticize the strategy without discrediting each of the moves. Kiermaier, while limited offensively, brings elite value
with his glove. Green is a proven high-leverage reliever and teams never have enough of those. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, well, at least he’s
better than Santiago Espinal.
Turner is the easiest one of all to understand. While his signing would have been better received if it was paired with another big bat,
the skill set remains appealing regardless of what else general manager Ross Atkins has up his sleeve.
Turner is most effective when there are guys in scoring position, and the Jays had trouble scoring last season. In those situations, his
historical on-base plus slugging percentage of.893 is significantly higher than his career average of.829. Along with his resume as a
successful post-season player—he has a.270 average and 33 extra-base hits in 86 games—he also has a reputation.
Even though Turner is 39 years old and not Shohei Ohtani, the 15-year veteran is still a valuable addition to a lineup that hasn’t been
up to par since 2021. You are free to critique the Jays’ off-season approach—I have, after all—but don’t disparage a player with such a
strong resume.
In response to a question on his goals for the Jays during an inaugural media availability over Zoom on Friday, Turner remarked, “The
next step is playing deeper into the playoffs, but I can tell you firsthand, the playoffs are hard man.” “It makes no difference how
attractive, skilled, or talented you are. The playoffs, in my opinion, are a crapshoot.
“I spent nine years with the Dodgers; during that time, we qualified for the postseason each year and won one title. I believe it comes
down to having the momentum and the right guys.”
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