Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2026)

[Laika]

2 hours ago, Jays24 said:

How the f*** are we in a wild card spot... this is us at our worst right now lol.  

Good team 

Also lots of bad teams out there 

[Olerud363.354]

On 4/30/2026 at 5:26 PM, jaysblue said:

Not sure I would pay Mark Grace $500M haha. 

Vlady's power stroke should start heating up as the weather warms up. His other numbers have been spectacular thus far. If Vladdy could settle in as a guy who consistently hits .300+/.900-1.000 OPS with 30 HR's with 5-6 WAR, I'll take that for the majority of his contract. 

The scary thing is, Vlad oozes of talent and could even be better given his offensive skillset. Like he has the talent to be a 10 WAR type of player. 

Does he need more rest possibly?  His playoff run where he launched balls at exceptionally optimal angles, he got 5 days off, then the playoff schedule with 2 off days a week.   Could low grade fatigue effect attack angle?

It would be horrible for the fans (little Johny shows up to see Vladdy, starting at first base Lenyn Sosa) but is there any evidence the 140 game year Barry Bonds schedule would be better for position players?  On top of everything else Bonds did in his late 30s, he scheduled himself an off day a week. 

[jaysblue]

1 hour ago, Olerud363.354 said:

Does he need more rest possibly?  His playoff run where he launched balls at exceptionally optimal angles, he got 5 days off, then the playoff schedule with 2 off days a week.   Could low grade fatigue effect attack angle?

It would be horrible for the fans (little Johny shows up to see Vladdy, starting at first base Lenyn Sosa) but is there any evidence the 140 game year Barry Bonds schedule would be better for position players?  On top of everything else Bonds did in his late 30s, he scheduled himself an off day a week. 

Haha load management? 

Not sure if there are any studies about that, but you bring up an interesting point. 

During the MLB Postseason, there were always off-days in between home/away games, so yeah Vladdy was only playing maybe like 4-5 times per week. 

[hanton]

game is on Peacock as well (might check it out), Pinango leading off, Oka 2nd

[jmomcc]

Pinango making it interesting. 

I'd assume he is down when Barger is back? But he is really making a good impression. 

[Abomination]

2 hours ago, jmomcc said:

Pinango making it interesting. 

I'd assume he is down when Barger is back? But he is really making a good impression. 

It's anyone's guess. They could also option Schneider, although that doesn't help with the righty lefty balance. My preference would be for them to DFA Sosa but I'm not sure that will happen yet. They could also option Fluharty when they have to get one of the pitchers back on the roster, which might be sooner than later.

[jmomcc]

7 hours ago, Abomination said:

It's anyone's guess. They could also option Schneider, although that doesn't help with the righty lefty balance. My preference would be for them to DFA Sosa but I'm not sure that will happen yet. They could also option Fluharty when they have to get one of the pitchers back on the roster, which might be sooner than later.

I think Mantiply as first guy down? Although Yimi when he comes back up could knock on to Nance instead. 

I honestly right now would go Sosa. Give Schneider some time to heat up in triple A. 

[Orgfiller]

10 hours ago, Abomination said:

It's anyone's guess. They could also option Schneider, although that doesn't help with the righty lefty balance. My preference would be for them to DFA Sosa but I'm not sure that will happen yet. They could also option Fluharty when they have to get one of the pitchers back on the roster, which might be sooner than later.

Fluharty is their best and only high leverage lefty so he's not going anywhere. Not sure they'd keep him as the only lefty out of the bullpen by optioning Mantiply (who does have an option, at 35 years old, somehow). It's not what anyone wants to hear, but I could see Fisher getting sent down as part of roster/asset management. Nance has been good and projects very well, we'd 100% lose him if we DFA'd him. And Miles obviously has shown promise as a rule 5 guy, doubt they'd want to give him back unless they were able to work out a deal with the Giants.

[Brownie19]

10 hours ago, Abomination said:

It's anyone's guess. They could also option Schneider, although that doesn't help with the righty lefty balance. My preference would be for them to DFA Sosa but I'm not sure that will happen yet. They could also option Fluharty when they have to get one of the pitchers back on the roster, which might be sooner than later.

Schneider doesn't hit anyone well right now and historically has hiy righties a bit better than lefties.  We'd still have Sosa and Straw on the bench from the right side (even if they kinda suck too).

 

[Terminator]

54 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Fluharty is their best and only high leverage lefty so he's not going anywhere. Not sure they'd keep him as the only lefty out of the bullpen by optioning Mantiply (who does have an option, at 35 years old, somehow). It's not what anyone wants to hear, but I could see Fisher getting sent down as part of roster/asset management. Nance has been good and projects very well, we'd 100% lose him if we DFA'd him. And Miles obviously has shown promise as a rule 5 guy, doubt they'd want to give him back unless they were able to work out a deal with the Giants.

Yeah I could definitely see Fisher being optioned. If anything, they could just put him in Buffalo for a couple of weeks and limit his innings a bit to help keep him fresh later on. 

Mantiply is also a top candidate, especially if (and it's a big IF at this point) the team tries to hang on to Lauer by putting him in the pen. 3 lefties is probably overkill.

And I agree on Miles. Gotta find a way to keep that guy. I'd stretch him out next year in Buffalo. He'll have 3 option years and would be great AAA SP depth which is very hard to get. 

[jmomcc]

Miles i think only has to be up for 90 days. So, start of july i think you could IL him if he is amenable and still keep him next year. I think... 

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, jmomcc said:

Miles i think only has to be up for 90 days. So, start of july i think you could IL him if he is amenable and still keep him next year. I think... 

Nah, that was for Bazardo as he was rostered by us last year, Miles has to stay up the entire year, whether he gets hurt or not that's a different story.

[Spanky__99]

The obvious move is to option DS and get him regular AB's in Buffalo, Sosa and PInango can cover the void.

[Stangstag]

5 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

The obvious move is to option DS and get him regular AB's in Buffalo, Sosa and PInango can cover the void.

Yeah I think Pinango has taken Schneider's spot at this point, and they seem to like Sosa at 2B more. Also Sosa can't be optioned.

If Pinango struggles and Schneider is grooving in AAA, you just swap them in a few weeks' time.

[mphenhef]

12 hours ago, Stangstag said:

Yeah I think Pinango has taken Schneider's spot at this point, and they seem to like Sosa at 2B more. Also Sosa can't be optioned.

If Pinango struggles and Schneider is grooving in AAA, you just swap them in a few weeks' time.

Honestly, I think Pinango starts over Sanchez more often than not once Barger is back.  

[Brownie19]

2 hours ago, mphenhef said:

Honestly, I think Pinango starts over Sanchez more often than not once Barger is back.  

Yeah I think you need to ride the hot hand if you can.  Sanchez hasn't shown enough to deserve full-time playing time.

[Laika]

Sanchez looked so good for a while but he is really circling the toilet now.

So many piss poor plate appearances 

[Olerud363.354]

Charles McAdoo vs Lenyn Sosa vs Davis Schneider vs Otto Lopez

Why is Lenyn Sosa hitting cleanup?  Did not watch most of the last 3 games. 

a) I saw Lenyn swing at very bad pitches early Sunday then left

b) I read on Twitter later Jays almost won but Lenyn hit into devastating game ending double play (107 mph I guess?)

c) Lenyn has 0 walks.  Lenyn has career .272 on base percentage.

At what point is the organization dumb for this?  Like they have some exit velocity attack launch angle data that says he should hit cleanup?  

Many have come and gone including Otto Lopez and IKF.  If it wasn't for IKF 1 no McAdoo.

Why not play McAdoo ?  He's 24 and good overall minor league numbers (better then Lenyn)

Yes Lenyn get over 100 OPS+ once.  like 101, but overall 83. 

[Olerud363.354]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brumfja01.shtml

Jacob Brumfield hit .257 .318 ..393

At first one would think much better then Lenyn.  But no.  Not really.  Different time.  

OPS+ career 85.  So about the same as Lenyn. 

Why are we still doing this in 2026?

1996 - no exit velocity data.  no OPS+.  Just starting to understand things, but figure play Jacob Brumfield (especially against righties) not good.

2026 - advanced world series participating oranization decides Lenyn Sosa good idea?

Why not Davis Schneider

1.  Some underlaying stat may save Davis can't hit fast pitch from right hander

2. But... we don't know for sure if that fancy data really gods truth.

3.  Davis nice guy and really help the team to World Series last year

4.  Good organization just say Davis nice guy, Davis take walks.  Davis get all the playing time when injury, even if hitting .140.  Better for long term organizational rep then Giving Lenyn so much playing time.  

[jmomcc]

23 minutes ago, Olerud363.354 said:

Charles McAdoo vs Lenyn Sosa vs Davis Schneider vs Otto Lopez

Why is Lenyn Sosa hitting cleanup?  Did not watch most of the last 3 games. 

a) I saw Lenyn swing at very bad pitches early Sunday then left

b) I read on Twitter later Jays almost won but Lenyn hit into devastating game ending double play (107 mph I guess?)

c) Lenyn has 0 walks.  Lenyn has career .272 on base percentage.

At what point is the organization dumb for this?  Like they have some exit velocity attack launch angle data that says he should hit cleanup?  

Many have come and gone including Otto Lopez and IKF.  If it wasn't for IKF 1 no McAdoo.

Why not play McAdoo ?  He's 24 and good overall minor league numbers (better then Lenyn)

Yes Lenyn get over 100 OPS+ once.  like 101, but overall 83. 

Lopez is one of the only misses of this FO in terms of players leaving. I've been critical of them quite a bit but that is one area i think they excel in (self evaluation of our prospects). 

McAdoo isn't on the 40 man so it's a bigger decision than either/or. 

Sosa to some degree is expendable. I think there must be something in terms of approach diversity/ swing diversity they like when adding him in. 

I also don't think they really trust Davis that much or IKF wouldn't have played so much in the playoffs. 

[ComeTogether]

 

 

[Brownie19]

25 minutes ago, jmomcc said:

Lopez is one of the only misses of this FO in terms of players leaving. I've been critical of them quite a bit but that is one area i think they excel in (self evaluation of our prospects). 

McAdoo isn't on the 40 man so it's a bigger decision than either/or. 

Sosa to some degree is expendable. I think there must be something in terms of approach diversity/ swing diversity they like when adding him in. 

I also don't think they really trust Davis that much or IKF wouldn't have played so much in the playoffs. 

Sosa has had success v. high velo and to be fair, was a league average bat with 22 HRs last year at age 25.  It's not hard to see why the team would take a flyer on him.

[Brownie19]

John Schneider said the plan is for Addison Barger (ankles) to return on Friday.  Hopefully he gives the offense a shot in the arm, but I know that's just wishful thinking.

[Orgfiller]

Myles Straw has a 50 point lead in ISO on Vlad. Same amount of homers in half the PAs.

[Olerud363.354]

4 hours ago, jmomcc said:

McAdoo isn't on the 40 man so it's a bigger decision than either/or. 

Sosa to some degree is expendable. I think there must be something in terms of approach diversity/ swing diversity they like when adding him in. 

I also don't think they really trust Davis that much or IKF wouldn't have played so much in the playoffs. 

Hard to see what there is to like about Sosa.  Nothing really in the minor league, or major league stats, or the defense to like.  Nothing on the Savant page to like except launch angle sweet spot, but it is cancelled out by so many other horrible things.   Like worst in game plate discipline and only 50th percentile exit velocity.  

So he swing at bad pitches, gets in bad counts, then occasionally launches it at 90 mph at a nice angle? 

Walks - 0

Launched at nice angle at mediocre velocity - a few

overall .238 .230 .300 or something (including white sox)

on base percentage lower than average

Rather lose with Davis Schneider.  Or McCadoo.  He can have Sosa's 40 man spot. 

[Olerud363.354]

1 hour ago, Orgfiller said:

Myles Straw has a 50 point lead in ISO on Vlad. Same amount of homers in half the PAs.

Scouting report grades

Okomato - 70 power - can hit 110 mph 25 degrees to all fields with good spin.

Straw - 50 power - much improved after working out with Addison Barger

Lenyn Sosa - 45 power - good launch angle but only average exit velocity

Luis Arraez - 25 power - great contact rates but at cost of power

Vladimir Guerrero Jr - 20 power - and no longer doing the other things well.  .300+ average is a fluke. 

 

[Terminator]

20 hours ago, Olerud363.354 said:

Hard to see what there is to like about Sosa.  Nothing really in the minor league, or major league stats, or the defense to like.  Nothing on the Savant page to like except launch angle sweet spot, but it is cancelled out by so many other horrible things.   Like worst in game plate discipline and only 50th percentile exit velocity.  

So he swing at bad pitches, gets in bad counts, then occasionally launches it at 90 mph at a nice angle? 

Walks - 0

Launched at nice angle at mediocre velocity - a few

overall .238 .230 .300 or something (including white sox)

on base percentage lower than average

Rather lose with Davis Schneider.  Or McCadoo.  He can have Sosa's 40 man spot. 

How the hell does Sosa not have a walk yet lol

82 plate appearances with zero walks

[max silver]

33 minutes ago, Terminator said:

How the hell does Sosa not have a walk yet lol

82 plate appearances with zero walks

Must be the "elite" combination of 52% chase/72% chase contact rate. 

[Spanky__99]

8 minutes ago, max silver said:

Must be the "elite" combination of 52% chase/72% chase contact rate. 

Wow.

[Ryu In My House]

Folks, I have been offline a few days - is Barger back today? Activated? According to MLB.com he is not in the lineup and no demotions have been announced. I've scoured and cannot figure out what is currently happening...

Not that it matters, but I demote Schneider and keep Pinango up. I have a good feeling about the latter. The kid can smash.