Could Andrés Giménez End up as the Blue Jays’ Shortstop?

Andrés Giménez joins the Blue Jays as an acclaimed defender at second base. He’s won the last three Gold Gloves in the American League, the last two Fielding Bible Awards, and a Platinum Glove. Advanced metrics love his defense. Statcast had him at 19 Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2024, tied with Marcus Semien for best in baseball among second basemen. According to Sports Info Solutions, Giménez was worth 20 Defensive Runs Saved, second-most in baseball. He also stands up to the eye test, earning rave reviews for his work in Cleveland. The Blue Jays have prioritized defense in recent years, and Giménez fits those plans perfectly. 

For 2025, at least, the Jays can expect strong play at second base. Giménez’s elite defending is important because of the glaring weakness at shortstop. Bo Bichette missed half of 2024, and when he was in the lineup, his defense graded out somewhere between average and bad. He’s had some stretches of good defense, so it’s not like he’s incapable of playing the position, but whether through trade, free agency, or poor play, he may not be the long-term solution at shortstop. Ernie Clement graded out as the superior shortstop last year, although he will spend most of his time at third where he was worth 3 OAA last year. It’s worth asking whether Giménez could stabilize this premium defensive position. 

From 2020-2022, Giménez played 634 1/3 innings at short (along with 1334.2 at second). In fact, he spent much of his minor league career as a shortstop in the Mets system. Given his defensive skills, it made sense to play him there, and when Cleveland acquired him for Francisco Lindor, he was expected to be a direct replacement for the All-Star shortstop the Guardians were losing. In his first two years in Cleveland, he graded out as an above-average shortstop in limited action. In 2021, he recorded 4 OAA which tied for 13th among all players with 300 innings at short. However, 300 innings is hardly enough to draw any reasonable conclusions, and in the next season he was limited to just 130 innings when Cleveland decided to make him their regular second baseman. He rewarded them with 12 OAA at second, and 1 OAA at short. Over the last two seasons, he has dominated, earned all those accolades, and established himself as the best second baseman in MLB, if not the best overall defender. But could he be even more valuable to the Blue Jays at shortstop? Given that his defensive metrics have remained stable, and he grades out well on Statcast measurements, it could be worth an experiment. 

There is a case to be made that he should move to shortstop now. According to Statcast, his average throw is 86.6, more than three ticks above Bichette’s 83.3 mark and comparable to other top-end shortstops. He has elite range both to his left and his right, and he is already well-acquainted with shortstop. It’s possible that he would elevate an already excellent Blue Jays defense. It’s worth considering the additional value he could bring even if his play drops off some after the transition. According to most definitions of WAR, the average second baseman would save three fewer runs on defense were they to move to short, so even with a drop in play, Giménez could still be more valuable at short. Many players who play both positions, but none who have Giménez’s credentials. The Blue Jays’ options at second aren’t great, but it’s an easier position to fill. If the team does not extend Bichette, it would be hard for them to find a better shortstop through free agency or trade. 

The Blue Jays brought in Giménez to solidify their infield defense and improve a position that’s been a significant weakness for the past few seasons. They may also have created an opportunity to gain a huge upgrade at a premium position.