glory

I'm not saying they should give him away, I'm saying they likely wouldn't get a team to take his contract even if they were giving him away. If he was a ~100 wRC+ SS with great defense, then maybe, or if he reverted back to something close to his 2022 mode then sure, but not now. No team values 2B defense that much (except Shatkins) even if it did come with close to league average offense. I don't even disagree that I think Gimenez might be a league average bat, he's been very unlucky so far. That doesn't mean he's someone whose contract the Jays should have absorbed at nearly $100M, especially since he's had two consecutive seasons with sub 100 wRC+'s. This is a contract you absorb if you think it's buying low on someone who's closer to 2022 form than 2023 (we'll ignore 2024). If he suddenly becomes an above average bat, then obviously the contract looks way better. Like I said, the Jays have zero prospects I'd trust to be good MLB'ers at 2B/SS other than Nimmala who is 19 in A+, so ultimately it's likely not that big of a deal. Just play him at SS until Nimmala is ready, slide him back to 2B after that, and hope the defense/base running holds up for 4 more years. But I think many people had to wipe vomit from their mouths when the trade was first announced, and there was a reason for that. It is what it is.

If you think Gimenez is an asset at 4/86.5 (after this season) then we can agree to disagree. I don’t think you’d be able to give that contract away. The only team that would pay big money for defense alone is the one Gimenez is currently on. Again, he’s not a bad player, but ~$20M AAV for a player like him is not a good use of resources, especially for a team in the Jays situation.

Gimenez is a 2B though (for now), and since 2023 has a 83 wRC+ in his last 1385 PA. Nearly $100M for a glove first 2B is not a good investment. If he is a league average-ish hitter and a great defensive SS, then that would make the contract more appealing, so let's hope that's the plan next season and hopefully he can still handle SS defensively. Obviously the bat being around 90-100 wRC+ would help as well.

Gimenez is a good player who is grossly overpaid. If he was the same player except a SS, then I think it would be more palatable, so hopefully that's the plan next season (until our savior Nimmala is ready, at least). I was intrigued by the Gleyber Torres pillow contract rumor in the off season. Wish the Jays would have pulled the trigger on that instead. I don't think anyone is touching the Gimenez contract as it gets into the $20M AAV range, even if he ends up being closer to a league average bat. With that said, other than Arjun, the Jays literally have no one that looks like a potentially good big league starter at 2B/SS any time soon, so Gimenez will have value to the team in that regard.

Giving the Guardians a free out so that Myles Straw could hit with runners in scoring position was sadly indicative of where this franchise is. The Jays are closer to the Rockies as an org than they are to the elite teams.

Frustrating offense and they are going to waste Little in this game when they’ve already used him for like over half of the team’s games so far.

The Guardians offense minus Ramirez is basically the April 2025 Blue Jays offense. It sucks. They should have just tried Tate/Walker to get 3 outs in the 7th, and then went with Fluharty and Green in the 8th and 9th. Maybe that ends up failing too, but Garcia for the 3rd time in 4 days given his health issues last season was an unnecessary risk to take this early in the season. The offense is ultimately the reason for the loss, you can't expect the pitching to be perfect every time, and when John Schneider has to be near perfect from a managerial standpoint in order to win, then you've already set yourself up for disaster. This guy has been making s***** bullpen decisions for as long as he's been here. The offense has to at least take that out of his hands every now and then, but since 2023 they haven't been able to.

If they don't trust Tate and Walker in a 7th inning situation, then not sure what they are doing in the pen at all. You can't run the same guys every night and expect them to be sharp.

Yeah this one is on Schneider. Using Garcia 3 out of 4 days was not smart.

Have to assume Hoffman is not available, and I think Jimi has thrown 2 out of the last 3. Would be nice to not have to use either of them.

From Clement, Straw, and Heineman, absolutely.

I'm glad they seem to have finally come to their senses and put Gimenez at 9. If he's hitting below Heineman then that means they no longer have delusions about how good of an offensive player he is. If you're lucky then he's around a 90-100 wRC+ player, and you accept that at the bottom of the lineup (have no choice due to the contract).

The biggest issue with the team right now is the rotation, but we will see about the offense. Removing Wagner and soon Roden, and replacing them with Barger (+ great statcast data) and Varsho should help. Lukes isn't a bad 4th OF option from the looks of it. Kirk is starting to hit the ball with more authority as well. Maybe things do start to improve from an offensive standpoint. Enough of an improvement? Remains to be seen. The rotation is still the biggest hurdle. Three geezers + Way Back Francis + pray. Not sure how they will get by with that over the long haul without massive amounts of luck.

The thing about the AL is that there are no great teams, but also only 2 real bottom feeders (White Sox, Angels). So unless the Jays are facing one of those 2 teams, I don’t think there is a cupcake series for them. Having this run differential even with their schedule is not a good sign. The Cubs have had an objectively tougher schedule and lead the league (tied) in RD. If it wasn’t for Jeff Hoffman this team is likely closer to their RD in win/loss. Varsho coming back helps, and they really need a surprise breakout or 2 (or 5).

Two straight wins on the backs of home runs. More of this please.

Having a chance to sweep the Red Sox on the road and resting Vlad in the final game (unrelated to injury as he pinch hit later in the game) was an act of a non-serious organization. Resting Springer is less egregious since he's old so he could be banged up or need more rest in general.

Kirk made a lot of hard contact tonight. Good to see.

October 8, 2022: Blue Jays lose in embarrassing fashion to the Mariners in Game 2 of the Wild Card Round. Less than two weeks later: In hindsight, we should have known right there that this organization wasn't serious.

Trade deadline: Bo, Bassitt, Green, Scherzer (if healthy) Should be shopped but won't be due to wanting to contend in 2026: Varsho, Gausman, Hoffman, Garcia Intriguing trade option if performance continues: Springer (salary will likely have to be eaten though). Unmovable due to contract: Vlad, Berrios, Gimenez, Santander, Kirk I don't think anyone above is getting a difference making return back except maybe Hoffman/Garcia given how valuable relievers are at the deadline. It's going to be a long road to get impact young talent back onto this team.

Depressing but spot on. Coming into this past off season you could have commended Shatkins for having such a clear long-term payroll situation where it would have been easy to pivot for the next front office, but then Atkins decided to help his future employer by taking $96M off their hands (and another $11M for a 5th OF), sign a one trick pony DH to a five year deal, and extend a catcher who had a 94 wRC+ and .098 ISO in his last 1015 plate appearances coming into the season and might be one of the most out of shape athletes in the league. That's not to suggest that those contracts won't provide on-field value, they could/might, but none of them are tradable and when you're paying full freight for players rather than getting some sort of team benefit out of it, then it's not advantageous at all. The next GM, whoever it is, will be mandated to compete in 2026, and I honestly don't know how that 1) has a chance of working out, and 2) makes the job desirable for a good candidate. For all we know Shapiro may have already been extended, but if the job is available, then I can't see it being one that a candidate with options is going to jump at. My guess is if the job is available then they'll give it to someone like Zaidi and try to have a quick turnaround rather than someone who sees logic in where the team is on the competitive cycle.

His team options after this season are for $20M annually so he’s no longer cheap either. Wouldn’t mind trading for him regardless if the cost is minimal (that’s all the Jays can offer anyway) since they won’t be rebuilding any time soon so might as well trade for someone with a high ceiling and hope it works, but he doesn’t present the surplus value potential that he used to. The bigger question I have is who is going to handle the trade deadline if/when the team is selling again? A top 5 payroll in MLB while possibly heading towards a 2nd straight last place finish and having one of the worst farm systems in the league doesn’t seem like a situation that warrants a front office extension. Shatkins shouldn’t be within 10 feet of the trade deadline if the team is selling again.

The Jays are now tied for the 2nd worst run differential in the AL and tied for 4th worst in all of baseball. Only the Orioles (lol), Rockies, and Marlins are worse. The sad thing is there’s not much the Jays can actually do. The minor league system is ass and the only injured player they are waiting on is a 40 year old Scherzer who might be washed anyway. On top of that they owe Vlad, Gimenez, Taters, Berrios, and Kirk about $430M from 2026-30 (never mind what they owe Vlad alone for the 9 years after that) so they aren’t going to rebuild. The path to fixing this isn’t very clear right now.

If finishing last again means Shatkins is gone, then I think I’ll take it at this point. This team stinks.

One thing Ross Atkins loves more than opposite field singles is players with options, no matter how marginal they are. I know the AAA depth aren't exactly high valued trade pieces but I can't believe some were not consolidated for more help even if it was for a middle reliever or a bench bat.