Toronto Blue Jays may pivot to Cody Bellinger after Tucker, Bichette snub
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Should the Toronto Blue Jays pursue Cody Bellinger after losing out on Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette?
After missing out on Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette the Blue Jays still need to address a missing bat in their lineup.
The Toronto Blue Jays want a left-handed bat to complement Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
They have a few lefties projected to be in next year's lineup. That includes Addison Barger, Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes, but there's room for improvement there.
Barger has shown signs he could be a middle-of-the-order bat but his track record in the majors isn't especially long yet.
Addison Barger just hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.
Varsho has some home run pop but isn't an elite hitter overall. Lukes is a pesky, contact-oriented type.
In terms of proven pedigree, Cody Bellinger would be the odds-on favorite as the free agent target that the Blue Jays will pursue.
After all, Bellinger is a former two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner, along with taking home NL Rookie of the Year, NL MVP and Gold Glove honors over his illustrious nine-year MLB career to date.
More significantly, he is a proven winner, having captured the World Series title with the Dodgers back in 2020.
Yankees losing Bellinger to the Blue Jays would be a win in itself
Despite having turned 30 already, Bellinger showed that he is still firmly in his prime after a strong showing with the New York Yankees last year, posting a .272 average, .813 OPS, along with 89 runs scored, 25 doubles, 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 152 games played.
On top of that, being a left-handed hitter, he would help provide more balance in the Blue Jays lineup going forward as well.
3-for-3 with a home run through 5 innings. Have a night, Cody Bellinger!
To cap it off, stealing him away from New York to spurn their division rival Yankees would perhaps be enough to detract Blue Jays fans from their lingering disappointment in missing out on the Tucker and Bichette.
The Blue Jays have a number of incumbent outfield options but there's some flexibility in it.
In addition to the aforementioned Varsho and Lukes, George Springer and Anthony Santander are likely to be sharing one corner and the designated hitter spot.
There's also guys like Barger and Davis Schneider, though those two are capable of playing the infield. Myles Straw is around as a glove-first bench guy.
Signing another outfielder would likely push Lukes to a part-time position and Barger and Schneider to more full-time infield roles.
Bellinger would be an upgrade to any teams outfield, but at what price?
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 18|70 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays may pivot to Cody Bellinger after Tucker, Bichette snub Do you think the Toronto Blue Jays will pivot to free agent Kyle Tucker? | ||
| Yes | 13 | 18.6 % |
| No | 57 | 81.4 % |
| List of polls | ||