Tuesday Bantering: Jimenez Released, Biagini to the Rotation Discussion

We haven’t had one of these in awhile. Mostly because we’ve had no news. Anyways, here’s the latest:

The Blue Jays released life-long minor league catcher A.J. Jimenez yesterday afternoon, as the team announced. At 26-years-old, Jimenez never reached his full offensive potential despite a high ceiling. In 2016, Jimenez’s ninth in the Toronto organization since being selected in the ninth round of the 2008 amateur draft, he hit four home runs with a .241/.290/.377 slash line in 248 plate appearances.

Obviously, keeping Jimenez would have been the best outcome. He would have provided depth at a position currently lacking organizational strength, all while mostly remaining out of the picture, barring a major injury. However, through the release of Jimenez, the Toronto front office makes room for Reese McGuire at the triple-A level, perhaps Toronto’s starting catcher of the future.

Travis Wood, who was, at one point, on Toronto’s radar, has signed with the Royals, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. The deal, worth $12M over two years, is essentially equivalent to the contract Boone Logan and Jerry Blevins received. Wood is expected to get a chance to start with the Royals, and, if successful, his contract would posses a far more friendly inning-to-dollar ratio than that of Logan or Blevins.

As if it wasn’t certain before, the obvious is confirmed now: the Blue Jays will stretch out Joe Biagini in spring training with the potential of him starting in triple-A. In an interview with Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, general manager Ross Atkins said that “there’s definitley a possibility” of Biagini ending up in the rotation in the minors.

“I wouldn’t say we’re leaning that way by any means because he was so important to our bullpen a year ago... He really would like to be considered a starting alternative... [and] recognizes that means he could potentially have to spend some time in triple-A.”

Former Blue Jay Adam Lind has, finally, been picked off the free agent market by the Washington Nationals, who signed Lind to a one year, $1M deal that includes a $500k buyout for the 2018 season. Lind’s market, per this year’s seemingly normal offseason pattern for sluggers, was close to non-existent, and the former Silver Slugger had to settle for a fraction of what others received.

Blue Jays pitchers and catchers report to spring training today, while their first workout is scheduled for tomorrow. The entire squad is set to report on February 17th, while their first workout is on the 18th. The first Blue Jay spring training game is February 25th against the Atlanta Braves.