Post deadline 26 man roster

[Ball4Life]

Anyone want to map out the lineup, rotation, bullpen, and bench post deadline? Assuming Bieber, Kirk, Springer, and Varsho are included?

[mellowgold2]

If we add Santander and Garcia to the guys you mentioned, going into a playoff series we're looking at something like:

rf lukes 

dh springer

1b vlad 

ss bo 

3b barger

c kirk

lf santander 

cf varsho

2b giminez 

If we're facing a lefty, Clement plays third and barger is in right.

First two bench spots are easy, Heineman and Ernie. And then you've gotta pick (likely) three of Straw/Schneider/France/Loperfido, if we go 14-12. Decent chance France is trash and makes it easy, but if he hits decently well, I think both him and Schneider are kinda redundant, and you need to pick one.

Sure, having two right-handed pinch hitting options would be nice if you're facing a brutal lefty reliever in the varsho-giminez-lukes part of the order, but I think the other guys bring more to the table.

Straw's baserunning/speed is obviously an asset and bringing him in for D for a guy like Santander would be extremely comforting as well. 

And Loperfido, if he keeps playing the way he is beyond this tiny sample (high BABIP and all), he's the kinda guy who gives you a little bit of everything.  You're ok with him in either corner (I was mildly surprised to learn he hasn't spent any time in cf this year), he can run a bit and has a little pop of his own.  The only thing is, he's the least likely to come in and be sent to the plate in a big spot, just because all of our best hitters are righties, and maybe not having a specialty like the other guys is what keeps him off the roster.

As for the starters, ideally Beiber looks like himself, and then you've got the Beibs, Gausman, and whichever two of Berrios/Bassitt/Scherzer/Lauer are throwing the best when the playoffs hit.

Which leaves eight guys in the pen

Hoffman

Dominguez

Rodriguez

Garcia

Fisher

Varland

Little

And....probably one of the other two starters as a long man.

 

Edit: I just realized you didn't say PLAYOFF roster. I guess we gotta get there first.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2025 by mellowgold2

[Grant77]

11 hours ago, Ball4Life said:

Anyone want to map out the lineup, rotation, bullpen, and bench post deadline? Assuming Bieber, Kirk, Springer, and Varsho are included?

I'll just include Kirk, Varsho, and Gimenez because it seems like they will be back soon.

Lineup: Kirk, Guerrero, Gimenez, Barger, Bichette, Clement, Varso, Lukes, Springer

Bench: Heineman, France, Loperfido/Schneider, Straw.

A decision needs to be made in a backup outfielder. I'd expect Schneider goes down in this scenario since they added France. 

Rotation: Gausman, Scherzer, Bassitt, Berrios, Lauer

Bullpen: Hoffman, Varland, Little, Rodriguez, Dominguez, Fisher, Fluharty, (long man).

 

[Terminator]

4 hours ago, Grant77 said:

I'll just include Kirk, Varsho, and Gimenez because it seems like they will be back soon.

Lineup: Kirk, Guerrero, Gimenez, Barger, Bichette, Clement, Varso, Lukes, Springer

Bench: Heineman, France, Loperfido/Schneider, Straw.

A decision needs to be made in a backup outfielder. I'd expect Schneider goes down in this scenario since they added France. 

Rotation: Gausman, Scherzer, Bassitt, Berrios, Lauer

Bullpen: Hoffman, Varland, Little, Rodriguez, Dominguez, Fisher, Fluharty, (long man).

 

Yeah that's exactly it IMO.

There will probably need to be another decision when Bieber is ready in mid August. 

But that said, rosters expand to 28 in September so one of Schneider/Loperfido will be right back up as will the pitcher that gets sent down for Bieber.

[Laika]

I really don't get the Ty France thing. Has Atkins explained it? 

If they do indeed bump Schneider for him I can't help but feel like that is a downgrade. Schneider has been having great plate appearances, he walks a lot and has pop and can play LF and 2B if needed. 

France makes more contact and is better 1B coverage but that's kind of it. France probably hits RHP better as he has a platoon neutral career line I think. 

Wouldn't you rather be pinch hitting with DS who is way more of a three true outcomes guy? He is much more likely to hit a game changing homer and may be more likely to simply get on base as well. 

[Laika]

If Ty France gounds into a double play in a big spot in September or October I will THROW UP my cheetos 

[glory]

1 hour ago, Laika said:

I really don't get the Ty France thing. Has Atkins explained it? 

If they do indeed bump Schneider for him I can't help but feel like that is a downgrade. Schneider has been having great plate appearances, he walks a lot and has pop and can play LF and 2B if needed. 

France makes more contact and is better 1B coverage but that's kind of it. France probably hits RHP better as he has a platoon neutral career line I think. 

Wouldn't you rather be pinch hitting with DS who is way more of a three true outcomes guy? He is much more likely to hit a game changing homer and may be more likely to simply get on base as well. 

I wouldn't rule out Loperfido being the one optioned. As bad as Clement has been against RHP, it seems like Schneider views him as an everyday player, so I expect Clement at 3B/Barger in RF to be the main lineup against RHP once Gimenez returns. In that alignment, having a bench of France/DS/Straw makes more sense as the Jays would have 4 lefties in the starting lineup so there's a bit more balance. If the Jays intend on starting Loperfido against RHP and benching Clement (very unlikely given Schneider plays Ernie like a little league coach plays his son), then that's the only way I see DS going down.

If Santander also comes back, then both DS and Loperfido go down until September call ups as then Clement has no where to play against RHP as a starter, so he becomes a bench guy with France and Straw.

Either way, yeah I hate the France pickup in so many ways. Seems like a move for the sake of saying "we added a RH bat", and might actually make the team worse. I guess we have to put our faith in Pope Popkins to fix another batter. 

[Terminator]

I haven't heard Atkins say much about France other than he will be playing a lot against LHP.

He probably takes Straw's playing time who is somehow even getting pinch hit ABs right now lmao.

I think Varsho and Gimenez's defense make them better options vs LHP than Barger right now who makes for a better pinch hitter.

1. LF- Lukes/Schneider (L/R)
2. DH/RF- Springer
3. 1B- Vlad
4. SS- Bo
5. 3B- Barger/Clement (L/R)
6. C- Kirk
7. CF- Varsho (L)
8. RF/DH- Loperfido/France (L/R)
9. 2B- Gimenez (L)

 

• C- Heineman (S)
• OF- Straw
• 2B/LF- Schneider*
• UT- Clement*
• 1B- France*

It seems like Gimenez is still a week or two away but when he comes back we will have to figure something out until September 1. Either someone hits the IL or one of Schneider or Loperfido go to AAA for a couple weeks. Probably Loperfido.

If Taters comes back then France could hit the chopping block if he's not hitting. If he is then maybe he survives and Schneider or Loperfido don't.

 

[Nexii]

2 hours ago, Laika said:

I really don't get the Ty France thing. Has Atkins explained it? 

If they do indeed bump Schneider for him I can't help but feel like that is a downgrade. Schneider has been having great plate appearances, he walks a lot and has pop and can play LF and 2B if needed. 

France makes more contact and is better 1B coverage but that's kind of it. France probably hits RHP better as he has a platoon neutral career line I think. 

Wouldn't you rather be pinch hitting with DS who is way more of a three true outcomes guy? He is much more likely to hit a game changing homer and may be more likely to simply get on base as well. 

Yea I don't really get it either tbh. They project similarly offensively for what it's worth. Sidegrade, maybe it's more injury depth? But he only plays 1B (2B/3B a long time ago) so it's not even much depth 

[Laika]

3 minutes ago, Nexii said:

Yea I don't really get it either tbh. They project similarly offensively for what it's worth. Sidegrade, maybe it's more injury depth? But he only plays 1B (2B/3B a long time ago) so it's not even much depth 

As others said maybe there is a way he plays over Straw and is an offensive boost when needed. We will see.

[HomeRunHomer]

Maybe they should teach Barger or someone else to play first base to fill in on occasion.  It's not that hard. 

[Laika]

The other way to think about France is that he might just be a free throw in to use until Kirk and Springer are back and healthy.

[glory]

If France is going to be 2023 Paul DeJong, meaning he is going to get bounced as soon as injured players come back, then I can live with that even though it might be painful to watch while he's here. Springer is old and on concussion protocol so maybe they wanted some RHH depth in case he's out longer than expected and France (unfortunately) was the best they could do. Atkins just made 3 deals based purely on ceiling/upside (Bieber, Varland, Dominguez). France doesn't do anything for upside and he might actually lower the team's floor, so hopefully it's just a short term depth move. 

In other words, please be healthy soon George!