The Blue Jays are “making a big push” for Kyle Schwarber, tweets Jon Heyman of the MLB Network. Marly Rivera of ESPN reported (on Twitter) this evening the Jays had interest in the lefty-hitting outfielder. Heyman adds that multiple teams remain in the mix but puts Toronto among the frontrunners for his services.
Toronto has been tied to a few marquee bats, as reports suggest they’re at least on the periphery of the Freddie Freeman market. Presumably, a Schwarber deal would take the Jays out of the running for the 2020 NL MVP, but he’d be a notable boon to their offense himself.
Schwarber, who turned 29 last week, is coming off a career-best season. Non-tendered by the Cubs last winter, he signed a $10MM deal with the Nationals. The Indiana University product hit .253/.340/.570 with 25 home runs across 303 plate appearances with Washington. That included an unreal 16-homer month of June that had made Schwarber the league’s hottest hitter before he suffered a severe hamstring strain in early July.
He spent the next six weeks on the injured list, during which time the Nationals fell out of contention. The Red Sox acquired Schwarber in a deadline deal despite his injury, with plans to have him rotate between first base and left field for the stretch run. He returned in mid-July and picked up right where he’d left off pre-injury, popping seven homers with a .291/.435/.522 line in 41 games with Boston. (The midseason trade also made him ineligible to receive a qualifying offer).
Between the two clubs, Schwarber posted a .266/.374/.554 line with 32 homers over 471 plate appearances. That production was 45 percentage points above the league average, by measure of wRC+. As he has throughout his career, Schwarber was a bit prone to strikeouts (27%), but he also drew walks at an elite 13.6% clip and posted top-of-the-scale power production. He ranked in the 90th percentile or better in terms of average exit velocity, barrel rate and hard contact percentage. It was the kind of middle-of-the-order output many expected from Schwarber when he was drafted fourth overall and ranked as one of the sport’s top offensive prospects.
The corner outfield market is robust, with Kris Bryant, Nick Castellanos, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Conforto all joining Schwarber in the ranks of the unsigned. Freeman and Anthony Rizzo are the top options at first base, leaving plenty of possibilities for clubs in search of an upgrade to the middle of the lineup.
In addition to their search for a big-ticket bat, the Jays have been looking for infield and bullpen help. Héctor Gómez of Z 101 reported over the weekend (on Twitter) that Toronto was looking into a reunion with versatile infielder Jonathan Villar. The switch-hitter played briefly with the Jays late in 2020 and struggled, but he bounced back with a decent .249/.322/.416 showing over 505 plate appearances for the Mets last season. The Jays could use some help at either of second or third base (with Cavan Biggio taking the other position), and Villar may be the top option remaining in free agency.
On the relief front, the Jays have checked in with closer Kenley Jansen, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The market for the longtime Dodger has been fairly quiet to this point, but he’s arguably the best remaining late-game option. The typically excellent Jansen tossed 69 innings with a 2.22 ERA last season, punching out an elite 30.9% of opponents.
Where’s he going to play tho?
DH and outfield when Springer is DH.
Thank you Johnny Superscout
Maybe DH and a bit of 1B when Vladdy needs a day off. That’s going to be a deadly platoon.
Good
We’ve seen him at first base, embarrassing. Where are you going to put him?
The Jays feel the need to add a left handed bat to balance their lineup. Schwarber can play in the outfield most days, left field. He’s better than Grichuk and Gurriel, and will play everyday for those weeks/months Springer will be injured
Vladdy shouldn’t be getting too many days off.
Phillies, Schwarber is your guy pay the man and bring him to Philadelphia.
Phillies have enough sluggers who can’t field, but then again most of the big bats left can’t field.
LF/DH
Use Teo or Lourdes in a trade for 2b/3b
no, more likely it would be Grichuk and prospects… maybe Kirk.
Grichuk is really worth nothing
Unless you’re taking back someone else’s bad contract
he is a very serviceable 4th OF that can play CF in a pinch. There is some value to that. He obviously would not be the centerpiece- Kirk or prospects would be
What major league 3b/2b do you think you’re getting for Kirk and grichuk?
Have to give up to get
Gleyber Torres?
You wish DBF 🙂
I felt I saw an opportunity.
That’s why we love you
Fortis fortuna adiuvat.
Dusty… where does it say it would be just the two. Kirk is wanted by a lot of teams and is a great top level prospect. add another in the next 10 of the Hays prospect snd Grichuk plus his salary. it would get things to a solid start.
Grichuk has negative trade value, why does he need to be included.
Kirk is relatively valuable, but Kirk and Teo is the starting point or package for an every day infielder, kirk and grichuk will bring you back nothing great
Gleyber for Kirk would have worked before the Yankees picked up Rortvedt from
Minnesota.
Possibly where Teoscar is now! There have been teams very interested in him, maybe he becomes the headliner in a trade for a 3rd baseman.
Sign Freeman so he doesn’t go to the Dodgers. THEN, go for whomever you want.
Would be bad for the Sox if he goes to the rival Jays.
Sox can’t have both Suzuki and Schwarber. The Jays seem to be out of the Suzuki hunt, which is why they turned their attention to Schwarber.
Let’s just hope Schwarber has enough common sense to wait until AFTER Suzuki signs somewhere before making a decision.
I don’t think the Sox are getting either.
Great fit for the Jays.
Yep..and a lot cheaper than Freeman
Also nowhere near as good a hitter with no real position,
Yes, now they can try to pull off the rare back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back home run sequence more than once in a single game.
Would be entertaining.
Another offseason of the Blue Jays being in on everyone! Toronto needs to remember that their young core is going to need to get paid over the next 2-3 seasons, so Schwarber might make more sense than Freeman, if he’ll accept a 3 year deal. Signing Freddie for 5-6 years will end up hurting them down the road when Vladdy, Bichette and some of their young pitchers approach free agency. If not extended, they will still be very expensive in their last year of arbitration. While Schwarber can play the OF, he would be their primary DH.
I’m sure they have considered that. Partly why they front loaded Kikuchi’s contract.
Why not both
I think Vlad and Bo needing to get paid is a bit overblown.
Jays are still $58M under the luxury tax line as of now. Ryu, Grichuk and Teoscar are off the books after 2023 which frees up about $40M. That will go a long way to paying Vlad and Bo.
Teoscar might get extended but he’ll be cheaper than people think. Older when he reached free agency and no real value from his defense.
yeah, well, the are gonna want Teoscar signed as well…
All of the jays deals recently have been front loaded to prepare for Vlad and bo
Interesting. With the right guys surrounding him in a lineup, he’s as dangerous as anyone. He just can’t be coupled with a bunch of other high strikeout guys like he was with the Cubs. He’d make a good fit with the Jays
Bro why
Would certainly open some doors to trade one of their OF group. Gurriel in a package for Jose Ramirez please.
No, why everyone wants to trade a young controllable cheap player like Lourdes is beyond me. Teo is the guy I’d be trading but obviously he doesn’t fit with Cleveland’s plans.
That’s the thing. The Jays will need to give up something of quality to get a player like Ramirez. That starts with Gurriel and probably Groshans.
Keeping in mind, Gurriel is only controlled through 2024 and Ramirez is controlled through 2023. So not a huge difference. Ramirez has one of the most team friendly contracts in baseball.
Well here’s the thing, why get Jram if they sign freeman? Also the jays are at a point in contention where they shouldn’t be taking star players out of the lineup even if it is for better players. I would rather they go after Chapman anyways he would probably cost something more along the lines of Groshans and Otto Lopez, another prospect in the top 10-20 range and a Lottery ticket young A ball pitcher. Gotta remember jays have an incredibly deep farm system with tons of good raw talent but no real super star level guys outside of the top 2-3 prospects
Jram or Chapman, either one. Need a capable 3B more than anything. Either way, if they sign Schwarber, they will have to deal one of their current OF. I’d think it would also take them out of the running for Freeman. So many moving parts it’s still hard to picture what the opening day lineup will look like, but 3B is an issue, as is LH batting. Jram solves both issues.
@cjmask
Keep adding.
Lourdes is the last guy I’d trade. Totally underrated value by most but not jays management. Batting title bat , great contract , chemistry w Vlad and the crew.
I wouldn’t want to trade him either. But if they sign Schwarber, one of the OF needs to go. Grichuk won’t yield much of a return. Teo might, but he has that same chemistry and is a proven silver slugger already. If they are serious about contending, JRam checks all the boxes of the teams needs in one team friendly contract.
This, I feel like most people who pay attention to this team can see Lourdes is the obvious heart and soul of the team. Is he the best defensive player no but he’s got a hellof a arm and a completely underrated bat. If they’re gonna get rid of a outfielder it’ll be Grich to a random team with a mid level prospect to offset the salary
Depending how the rest of the off-season plays out, I could see the Yanks perhaps having some interest in Grichuk in some form of salary dump trade.
He is CF capable which is a requirement for anything we’d do on the grass this offseason. We need to add a LH bat ourselves. But say we land Freeman or Rizzo & you guys sign Shwarber. I think we could then line up.
If I am looking at it right, he’s owed $10.3 mil this year & next. But his AAV (the important number to the Yankees) is only $5.9 mil (5 year 29 million dollar extension). So the money would work too.
way to streaky though (and despite his Gold Glove recognition) a pretty horrible fielder. If you can use him to get a premium 3b… it is a no brsiner
Grichuk signed 5 yr 52 million.
2 years and 20 million left not end of the world
Merci.
I wasn’t sure I was looking at it right. Hal’s going to like that number a lot less.
I’m not unconvinced @Ducky that the Yankees are not silently monitoring the Schwarber market. He’s always been on Cashman’s list, and if Freeman (unlikely) or Rizzo don’t work out, I could see them planting Schwarber at 1B with LeMahieu being a platoon partner and late-game defensive replacement.
Man, Freeman’s 24-hours sure are taking a long time!
Oh, I’ll definitely buy that, Rob.
Cash has coveted him for years. Same with Cole. Same with Joey Gallo. I fully expect we will see a left handed bat added. Fairly soon too. As such, Shwarber has to be considered.
One thing though.
Ever since the deadline, Cash has been changing the type of player he goes after. Hasn’t added a RH TTO guy in long time. Bless his heart. Although he is a lefty, his defensive shortcomings & lack of positional versatility may no longer appeal to Cashman.
Freeman/Rizzo much cleaner fit.
& either one will help. Freeman is the superior player. I have become covetous of him. But. Rizzo would cost less, leaving more funds to add a starter.
@Clipper, yeah, wasn’t he supposed to be a Dodger last Friday night?! Not sure where he’s going, the Jays could be it, but I don’t see the Dodgers giving him the years.
@Ducky, the Yankees have developed a specific pattern when it comes to the CBT, so they’ll clearly go over for the next two to three years as they just reset, but they’ll have a plan to get back under. The advantage of a Rizzo contract is the same as Donaldson. Both are or would be two year deals, and would provide a path to retreat below the CBT. He obviously is also a solid fielder, so in addition to increasing some contact rates, they’re also looking to tighten the defense. I’m afraid Gleyber, though, will always remain the weak link. So, yeah, I can see Rizzo, but I understand coveting Freeman. It’s safer than coveting thy neighbor’s wife. Just not as fun.
Sure have. Bit of a sore spot with me.
Before ’18, we paid payroll tax every single season. Which…well you know.
Rizzo will probably be about half the AAV too. But rumblings about a “Judge extension” & the problem of working that in with a Freeman deal makes me think it’ll be Rizzo. Sounds familiar.
Now, that would be a fine use of resources. *If* we also add another starter with the “extra” money.
Sadly, there really isn’t a wife on my block worth coveting. I view this as a serious, tangible downgrade in my life.
Cleveland needs corner OF’s. Teo is a corner OF.
@ RobM;
What is with you Yankee fans?
2 years ago Voit was a killer as a 1B. The rest of MLB fans should be envious as they stole him from the Cardinals.
Last year LeMahieu was the great 1B…until Rizzo was brought in.
Now you want Schwarber, who had a nice playoffs run but has played for 3 teams in the last 2 years – none of whom particularly want him back – and LeMahieu is supposed to be “a platoon partner and late-game defensive replacement”?
Teams don’t sign players so they can trade other players. If they can afford to trade an OFr because they signed a player, they didn’t need to sign that player. It’s just backwards.
Imagine Freeman and Schwarber in this jays lineup. I mean Defensively it’s not the best lineup but between their rotation and 1-9 hitting would be next freakin level
Is it Vlad or Freeman at 3B?
Vlad according to his Insta
Wait wait, what?
Changed his bio from mlb 1st basemen to 3rd
So I just read it’s been tbj 3b since he was drafted. It just may never have been changed
They’ll be going with a new shift strategy where there’s two guys playing first and nobody at third all the time. Schwarber and Gurriel will both be patrolling left field, Teo stays in right, and Springer DHs to try not to hurt himself while pitchers are instructed not to let anyone hit it to center.
Schwarber and Gurriel will both be patrolling left field,
===================================
I see this all the time. Even the writers do this. And occasionally the GMs. No matter how good the hitter you are chasing is, if you already have someone at that position, you are probably going to make a mistake.
As a RS fan, I’d rather have TO spend their money on Schwarber than on pitching. Gurriel is probably a better player. Vlad certainly is. So that leaves DH. And Springer & Vlad spent a lot of time there last year.
NO!!!! Chaim don’t let it happen!!!
If Chaim’s not in at these prices, it’s because he knows they’re too high.
Yea not gonna get Schwarber for the price of a loogy
Blue Jays will sign every remaining free agent.
This is the gentleman I wanted all along for our beloved Blue Jays. He’s a dangerous hitter another guy who carry a lineup.. He’s just about to hit his prime. Very dangerous. Just ask the Red Sox fans. 🙂
As a RS fan, I think he’s become overrated.. I think he is exactly what his lifetime stats says he is, a 119 OPS+. That’s good, but he is already a defensive liability. Getting him for Aldo is one thing. If you’re looking at $70M/4, that’s a whole different ball game.
Especially if he is a DH.
Tushay sir. Tushay.
Joe – Is it really fair, or wise, to label a guy based on what he did prior to completely revamping his batting stance, swing, and approach at the plate?
In the late 80’s was Dwight Evans what his lifetime stats says he was, even though he put up an .892 OPS from 1981-1987 after Walt Hriniak completely changed Dewey’s stance, swing and approach?
It could be. But I hear that a lot when guys have good years in their walk year.
Why not ask a Cubs fan?
Don’t know I think he played his best baseball as a Red Sock? Could be wrong no idea. He was lights out last year though.
Toronto is where I’ve had Schwarber pegged to go for a while now. I think he’s a perfect fit for that righty-heavy lineup, and can spell Gurriel Jr. in LF (and perhaps Vlad Jr. at 1B) on occasion. I know the Jays love Freddie Freeman, but Schwarber is four years younger than him, and is coming off a career year where he put up an OPS 30 points higher than him too. He’s likely to get a 3-4 year deal worth around $20 million per season. Freeman wants 6 years, $180 million. I think Schwarber is the right call for the Jays here.
Kyle to Toronto is 5 x more that 20. Call it 115/5.
They don’t need Freeman and they don’t need Schwarber. Tthey need to unload Grichuk and Jansen and get a catcher and third baseman. well they need a manager too but that is not likely to happen.
The Jays are the last team in baseball that need a catcher. They have three potentially above average catchers already in the majors in Jansen, McGuire and Kirk, and they have Moreno (who is probably the best catching prospect in MLB) on the way sometime this season. They could use a stopgap 3B until Jordan Groshans and/or Orelvis Martinez are ready, though.
They need a catcher badly McGuire is an ok backup maybe backend of platoon, Kirk needs more seasoning in the minors and if you are going to compete you want the pitching staff to feel comfort and I don’t think throwing a rookie (Moreno) back there full time is the best option for the team or his development. As for Jansen he is a below average backstop that hit well in September and they should take advantage of that and trade him before he becomes the below average backstop that hits 170 again..
Before someone says ‘you don’t need your catcher to hit a lot you need them to be good defensively” remember there are better defensive option out there that are cheaper and can probably hit better too.
Jansen is below average, sure, as is McGuire. So is half the league. Fill the other holes and they can easily afford a below average catcher for a couple months until Kirk or Moreno is ready. It’s not worth spending the money/prospects an above average starting catcher costs when they won’t be needed for long… and above average starting catchers don’t like to sign deals where they think they’re going to be unceremoniously bumped to backup duties soon (it’s going to affect their subsequent contract as well as their pride).
I hate the Charlie Bongos as much as the next jays fan but give the guy a short leash now that he has some semblance of a bullpen to work with
I disagree a top lefty bat is exactly what they need. It would make the opposing managers job impossible when it came to trying to work through how you get outs in that lineup.
Look who they have been attached to the most this offseason. Seager, Freeman, and now Schwarber. All lefty bats, so it’s pretty clear Atkins knows this is a huge need as well.
Schwarber had a nice year, but his career stats are not that great. I’ll pass.
Chaim had the best Kyle will ever give, now it’s time to have Kyle help out further by having someone wildly overpay for him.
The best he’ll ever give at 28? Dude is hitting his prime years right now, he could easily be a very productive player on both sides of the ball for +5 years, and more as DH.
This makes me sad. Really hoping for him in Philly, and from the sounds of it Blue Jays fans don’t even want him 🙁
It’s not that we don’t want him, it’s just if you had to pick 2 of the 3 only, Lourdes ,Teo or Schwarber…. which 2 do you choose?
Boras mouthpiece either getting an actual scoop or trying to pump up the market for his boss. Usually it is the latter.
Tricky playing time situation for him though. If I were him I’d be very leery unless he’s cool being a more or less full time DH.
Why are Blue Jay fans so greedy? They want every remaining free agent to sign with them plus JRAM. Blue Jays already have an offensive juggernaut best in MLB as it is…but no, they need MORE!!
MORE!
Vladdy’s instagram. Yesterday said Toronto Blue Jays 1b.
Today says 3B.
VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR
– God first
– Toronto Blue Jays 3B. ⚾️
–
– escogido
instagram.com/vladdyjr27/?hl=en
He looked 100% better last year at 1st, so nothing is impossible. I give him a lot of credit not taking his talent for granted, and losing the weight.
I’m not giving on him at 3B either. Baseball is in his blood, deserves another shot especially if Freeman comes to Toronto.
With freeman in the lineup the jays could put Vlad at 3rd without a glove
WOW
Okay so apparently it’s always been blue jays 3b he just never changed it to 1b
Vladdy had to move to third so God could play first? I hope this God guy can hit.
Freeman is good, but that’s awfully high praise
Schwarber and ketel marte will make this offense #1 in baseball.
Schwarber really endeared himself to the Waltham Massachusetts Fire Police Emts as he showed his appreciation to them by purchasing them dinner during the playoffs.He is a good guy but is best suited for a dh only.Love to see him stay in Boston but it’s doubtful.
With pitching staffs thinned out due to the compacted schedule, Toronto might score 1000 runs.
Wtf , might as well sign Correa , move Bo to second , sign Freeman , move Vladdy to Third , and Kyle at Dh and get the party started
What a shame that Hal Wilpon has turned off the taps to Cashman’s spending plan. Schwarber was born to hit in Yankee Stadium. But, like Freddie Freeman, he was too pricey to afford.
Sad watching Toronto get ready to leap past the once proud Yankees.
Many of the Yankees dynasties came off the backs of other teams: The 1920s from the Red Sox, courtesy Harry Frazee; the later 1950s-1960s from the Athletics, thanks to Arnold Johnson; and the 1970s from the Indians, due to the deviousness of Gabe Paul. Money didn’t make the other (legitimate) dynasties, careful planning and fair play did.
Even though a LH DH would be great to have, TOR doesn’t need a DH as much as they need a 3B. Santiago Espinal may actually be the Jays best option at 2B vs. 3B. I would like to see TOR stick with their plan how they built their outstanding team so far and go after 3B prospects:
STL and LAA have 3B blocked by Nolan Arrenado and Anthony Redon. Its a crime if STL Nolan Gorman and LAA Brendon Davis don’t get a chance to prove themselves.
DET will fail Isaac Paredes and NYM are too busy looking outside the organization to notice Mark Vientos and Brett Baty in their own MiLB.
CHW Romy Gonzalez, OAK Vimael Machin and PIT Rudolfo Castro seem close to MLB ready. There’s so many more I’m not mentioning.
Many of Toronto’s better prospects profile at 3B even if their current position is SS in the minors. Martinez, Groshans, Smith all profile at 3B and are on at least one industry top 100 prospect list.
Who would Toronto trade for another team’s top 3B prospects? As a contender, they are trying to add to the major league team. It’s rare to line up a prospect for prospect trade. Maybe Kirk would fit that kind of trade?
Isaac Paredes may be had for a prospect. Nolan Gorman could go for Catchers to take over from Yadi.
@ GarryHarris;
Great comments!
Sorry bitchez. I ain’t going nowhere!