Toronto Blue Jays Rumors

Blue Jays and Athletics rumoured to be looking at Dayán Viciedo

By Minor Leaguer Feb 27, 2015, 6:04pm EST

Since their starting left fielder Michael Saunders seems like he will be out of the lineup until mid-July (the Blue Jays have promised an update on his condition at 7 pm Eastern), the front office has been looking for a replacement. One of the players they have been speaking with is free agent outfielder Dayan Viciedo, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, in a Friday evening tweet.

Sources: #BlueJays, #Athletics among teams talking to Viciedo.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 27, 2015

The 25-year-old (26 by Opening Day) Cuban received his outright release from the White Sox earlier this month after five disappointing seasons in Chicago. He has good raw power, but his poor plate discipline numbers (21.7 K%, 5.7 BB% last season) is pretty much against how Alex Anthopoulos has tried to build the Jays lineup for this season. If I have to write something positive about him, I'd mention that his rate swinging at balls outside the strikezone tumbled five percentage points going from 2012 and 2013 into 2014. But I don't, so I won't. (Dammit, too late.)

Viciedo, a righty, has had major platoon splits throughout his career with an .837 OPS against lefties and a .679 OPS against righties. So he isn't someone that can be paired up with Kevin Pillar. He is also a horrifically horrible defender in the outfield (see the GIFs and embedded videos here). Think 2013 Melky Cabrera but worse and without a spine tumour to blame it on.