The Blue Jays announced that second baseman Devon Travis has rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency. He’s now eligible to sign with any club.
This was the obvious outcome when Toronto announced that Travis had cleared outright waivers earlier in the week. Any player with three or more years of Major League service time — Travis has four-plus years — has the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, and virtually every such player who is outrighted this time of season opts to test the open market.
Travis, who’ll turn 29 in February, at one point looked to be the Blue Jays’ second baseman of the future. Acquired in a one-for-one swap that sent outfielder Anthony Gose to the Tigers nearly five years ago to the day, Travis burst onto the scene the following season with a .304/.361/.498 batting line, eight homers and 18 doubles in just 239 plate appearances. Despite being promoted to the Majors in early April that year, Travis was limited to 62 games as a result of a shoulder issue that twice put him on the shelf for at least a month.
Injury notwithstanding, a strong impression was made, and the following season gave further reason for optimism. Upon returning from surgery to repair that balky shoulder, Travis appeared in 101 games and hit .300/.332/.454 with 11 homers, 28 doubles and a triple in 432 plate appearances. Through the first two (injury-shortened) seasons of his career, Travis carried a .304/.342/.469 slash (116 OPS+) and looked well on his way to a quality big league career.
Unfortunately for both Travis and the Jays, knee troubles set in during the 2016 postseason, and his recovery from that issue proved far more cumbersome than his recovery from the 2015 shoulder troubles. A bone bruise in the 2016 ALCS led to offseason knee surgery for Travis, and he underwent a second procedure on that knee the following summer. Those injuries contributed to a miserable season at the plate in 2018, and in Spring Training 2019, Travis underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his other knee. Multiple setbacks in his recovery followed, and Travis didn’t play at all this past season.
In all, since that promising two-year stretch to open his career, Travis has appeared in just 153 games over a three-year period and posted a lackluster .242/.280/.400 batting line with 16 homers and 32 doubles in 575 plate appearances. It’s clear that he possesses plenty of raw ability, though with shoulder surgery and a trio of knee operations all coming before his 29th birthday, it’s fair to wonder just how much his body will allow him to tap into that talent. He may have to settle for a minor league pact to prove he’s healthy enough to return to his once-productive ways. Any club that signs him would be acquiring multiple years of control, as Travis is nine days shy of five years of Major League service time, meaning he’d remain arbitration-eligible through the 2021 campaign.
Tigers need to be all over this!
Exactly what I was thinking
Nick Castellanos is the Blue Jays guy. If atkins can get him for a reasonable price, and let him play DH and in the field every now and then, that would help greatly with that lineup. A bonafide hitter, to plug him in the middle of that lineup, a guy who can hit with the best of them, get on base, help guys like Bichette and Guerrero jr.. Is still very young at 27 years old.. If the Jays can get him at a reasonable price, I think they’d be dumb as a pig to not jump all over that. Jays, sign Nick Castellanos! Don’t leave a 27 year old, middle of the order bat to go somewhere else when your lineup needs the length and a veteran presence who’s still fairly young that fits in your timeline. If Atkins gets it done, I won’t criticize another move he makes. Lord knows they have the funds.. and by everybody’s estimation that ive seen, it doesn’t seem Castellanos will break the bank to get him signed.
I missed the Nick Castellanos part of this Devon Travis article.
Gotta love when people do this.
Mario as much as I like Castellanos, the Blue Jays have committed to Grichuk and Fisher. They have to get rid of 3 OFs to accommodate Castellanos. As easy as it is to name 3 OFs to toss, the Blue Jays aren’t willing to do it.
Hmmm. I think Castellanos has played some 1st base ? Not sure. Could be wrong.. if they let Smoak walk, he could play some DH, 1st for us if he has some experience there. And can be thrown in the outfield whenever need be. For me personally, I think it would be heck of a signing.
Wrong. Tigers wanted him to play some 1B and he refused.
Pigs are actually very smart,
though it is their choice to
roll around in mud…..
Pigs also dont sweat
A dumb idea. No one needs a DH who can’t play anywhere in the field. Especially a young team that already has plenty of power hitters with questionable gloves.
Dumb idea, yet we have guys like Grichuk, Teoscar, and god knows which other awful hitters out there trying to hit baseballs. But let’s not add one of the best bats in the game to compliment Guerrero, Bichette and Biggio. Okay.
Terry has a McKinney signed jersey thinking “2020 is his year”. I’m sure Derek Fisher would look terrific in another uniform that isn’t Toronto.
Perhaps the Yomiuri Giants for Derek Fisher
Japan wants quality, Jimmer.
Come back to the Tigs, bro.
This has Marlins written all over it. Local guy!
Would be a good sign for the Cubs to give Hoerner some competition for the second base job next spring.
When healthy Devon Travis could be very good. Unfortunately he could not stay healthy. Hope he can bounce back in 2020.
Come to Boston on MiLB deal with incentives and compete for 2B. Michael Chavis at 2B is equal to Castellanos in RF, they don’t have an answer at 1B, if he loses 2B Chavis could play 1B, etc etc
Not to mention he fits in with our second basemen with knee problems trend!
Always have been a Devon Travis fan, an outstanding man and a good player when healthy. If only! I wish him all the best and hope that somehow his health allows him to play the way he can!
always wondered if getting off the turf would help him stay healthy
Travis and Pompey have been taking up a 40 man roster spot for way too long. This should have been done years ago.
That’s the way of Shapiro and Atkins.
Yeah look at all the talent they lost because Travis and Pompey had 40 man spots like nobody and noonewhatsoever. If the Jays had actual depth they needed to protect then sure they should’ve been cut but I’m not exactly sure what better options the Jays had.
Shhhh, don’t let logic get in the way of Jimmy’s regularly scheduled “boo Atkins” gripe. He needs this.
Thank you Dr Infractor.
I’ll take him in Cleveland
Exactly! 2B is one the the Tribe’s needs. Travis is a really good hitter when healthy.
I’ve often wondered about the cement floor as a issue especially when you have knee issues
Always a class act. See what he wrote here.
twitter.com/DeVoTrAv/status/1192518376289193984?re…
Thanks for posting this. Always nice to see a pro athlete who remembers the fans
Four plus years of service time and less than 320 games played.
It’s a shame Travis’ potential will likely not be realized. He’s got lots of talent and, by all counts, is a fantastic guy both in the clubhouse and community. Would have loved to see him be a part of a young and (hopefully) contending Jays team but hopeful he gets the opportunity to and stays healthy enough to still enjoy a good career somewhere.