Andrés Giménez: The Blue Jays' Glove Versus Bat Dilemma

Andrés Giménez has been an elite shortstop defensively this season. As of September 1, in 1,025 innings, he has posted a +15 Fielding Run Value (“FRV”) that trails only Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr.’s +18 FRV score. For the Blue Jays, this is a significant improvement over Bo Bichette’s -28 FRV in 6,184 innings from 2019 to 2025. During those seven seasons, of 92 qualified shortstops, only CJ Abrams posted a worse FRV mark (-38). On a number-of-innings-equivalent basis, Bichette’s FRV per 1,025 innings was -5. In other words, compared to the equivalent-innings defensive performance of Bichette, the 2026 Blue Jays have picked up 20 runs (+15 versus -5), which is worth approximately two wins, from Giménez’s defence at short.

When it comes to hitting, did I mention that Giménez is an elite defender? Well, okay, Giménez has been well below average at the plate this season. His 78 wRC+ ranks 34th among the 40 shortstops with at least 200 plate appearances in 2026. Also, his OBP ranks 35th, and his K-BB% and ISO are each 32nd among this shortstop group. Overall, since producing a 143 wRC+ in 2022, Giménez's wRC+ has been 84. It is safe to say hitting is not his strong suit.

In fact, as Jays Centre’s Leo Morgenstern noted in a recent Slack post, if Giménez records the highest fWAR this season among Toronto’s position players (he currently leads with a 2.5 fWAR), he will have the lowest wRC+ of any player who led the Blue Jays in fWAR in a single season. Before this season, Damaso Garcia held the Highest fWAR-Lowest wRC+ title due to his 3.8 fWAR and 98 wRC+ in 1982. For the record, the holder of the Highest fWAR-Highest wRC+ title is José Bautista, who posted a 180 wRC+ and led the 2011 Blue Jays with an 8.1 fWAR.

To the question of whether the Blue Jays can enter next season with a well-below-average hitter as an everyday shortstop, there are three factors to consider. First, suppose Toronto desires to be a Top Five hitting team in 2027. Accordingly, do Top Five hitting teams have weak hitters as regular-playing-time players? If so, how many? Second, what if Toronto wants a better hitter as its everyday shortstop? Who are the options to replace Giménez? Third, are there opportunities to improve second base with a better bat? Currently, Toronto’s second basemen have produced an 89 wRC+, which ranks 24th among MLB teams.

Regarding the composition of better-hitting teams, as measured by wRC+, see the table below.

I constructed the table as follows:

• For each of the seasons from 2021 to 2025, I selected the five best-hitting teams by wRC+.
• The sample for each team includes any batter with at least 200 plate appearances with the listed team.
• For each team, the hitters were ranked from most to fewest plate appearances.
• On average, hitters with at least 200 plate appearances accounted for 86% of a team’s total plate appearances, and 89% of a team’s wRC+ (weighted by plate appearances).

My observations are as follows:

• During the five years from 2021 to 2025, the Top Five hitting teams averaged eight batters with wRC+ marks greater than 100, four of whom had wRC+ scores more than 125, and one of the four posted a wRC+ greater than 150.
• On average, after sorting the players by most plate appearances, these teams had five hitters with wRC+ figures more than 100 in their top six, six players in their top seven and seven in their top eight and top nine. Accordingly, even the best-hitting ballclubs have below-average hitters in their regular lineup. For example, in 2025, Toronto had the second-highest wRC+ (113), and its hitters with the eighth- and ninth-most plate appearances were Giménez and Myles Straw. These batters posted wRC+ numbers of 71 and 91, respectively. Furthermore, Ernie Clement had the third-most plate appearances of the 2025 Blue Jays, and he recorded a 98 wRC+.
• Compared to the averages shown of the best-hitting teams during the 2021-2025 seasons, the 2025 Blue Jays’ numbers were similar. That version of the Blue Jays had eight batters with wRC+ marks above 100, three above 125, and one above 150. Of the top nine leaders by plate appearances, six posted wRC+ numbers more than 100. Therefore, a team can be among the best-hitting ballclubs and still have regulars who are below-average batters.
• As of September 1, the 2026 Blue Jays had generated a 93 wRC+, which ranks 26th. As the table shows, Toronto only has four batters with wRC+ scores in excess of 100 and only two in the top six batters by plate appearances.

What does all this mean for the 2027 Blue Jays? First, Toronto can have Giménez, an elite shortstop defensively but a below-average hitter, play every day. However, Toronto will have to surround Giménez with above-average hitters. Part of the solution could be internal: a bounce-back season from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the return of Addison Barger and Anthony Santander, and better seasons from Kazuma Okamoto and Alejandro Kirk. Perhaps Charles McAdoo and Brett Bateman could take their hitting to a higher level.

Concerning the middle infield, there are external options. The trade market and internal candidates are possibilities, but I will focus on the list of scheduled 2027 free agents. One option is for Toronto to sign a free agent shortstop who hits better than Giménez. Accordingly, Giménez would move to second base, where he posted a +7 FRV in 720 innings in 2025. Unfortunately, according to Spotrac, there are slim pickings from the list of 2027 free agent shortstops. Would an Isiah Kiner-Falefa improve Toronto’s hitting? I will say no.

On the bright side, there are interesting free agents among second basemen. This article isn't the place to take a deep dive into these players, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Brandon Lowe are intriguing. Chisholm is having a down year offensively (99 wRC+), but he has a 3.4 fWAR, a .175 ISO and a +7 FRV. Thus far in 2026, Lowe has posted a 115 wRC+, a 3.9 fWAR, a .227 ISO and a +10 FRV. Luis Arraez and Gleyber Torres are also options. The pool of 2027 free agent second basemen could be a worthwhile option for Toronto’s front office to consider.

The Last Word

Before the 2026 campaign began, I forecast that Giménez would steal 25 or more bases and also generate a wRC+ greater than 114. As of September 3, he has 20 stolen bases and can still exceed 25. Concerning my wRC+ prediction, let’s say I was just a bit outside the mark.

Nevertheless, Giménez provides the Blue Jays with elite defence at an important position. Furthermore, even top-hitting teams carry below-average hitters as everyday players. The key is to surround players like Giménez with better-than-average hitters. Overall, the 2027 Blue Jays can approach the lofty heights of a Top Five hitting team through internal improvement from players such as Guerrero and the return of Barger and Santander. Also, while the 2027 free agent shortstop class does not have much to desire offensively, the 2027 free agent second basemen group is attractive. An addition such as Chisolm or Lowe would improve Toronto’s offence and also be a positive contributor defensively.

So, should the Blue Jays enter next season with Giménez, a light-hitting, defensively elite everyday shortstop? The answer is yes!