Looking for Better Fits, Blue Jays and Rockies Swap Outfielders

On Thursday morning, the Blue Jays and Rockies agreed to a commerce sending Randal Grichuk and money issues to Colorado, with Raimel Tapia and minor league infielder Adrian Pinto becoming a member of Toronto. Rob Gillies of The Related Press reports that the amount of money is simply over $9.7 million, which accounts for practically half of the remaining wage on Grichuk’s five-year contract. With this transfer, the Blue Jays get the left-handed outfielder that they had been trying to find, and the Rockies get one other energy hitter to plug into the center of their lineup.

Grichuk signed that five-year extension (value $52 million) after placing up 2.1 WAR in 2018, his first season in Toronto. He blasted 31 residence runs the subsequent 12 months, however that energy was the one constructive side of his strategy on the plate. During the last three years, his offensive output has been 9 % beneath league common, and that’s regardless of an ISO that sits a hair above .200. His largest situation has been getting on base at a daily clip. His stroll fee has been remarkably constant, sitting round 5.8% during the last six years, although it dipped to its lowest level since his rookie season final 12 months. With a batted-ball profile targeted on fly ball contact, his BABIP isn’t significantly better.

Within the area, Grichuk has been a strong defender throughout all three outfield positions. Splitting his time between heart and proper area over the previous couple of years, the superior defensive metrics fee his work within the nook slightly larger than up the center. All three metrics had been dissatisfied in his capability to cowl sufficient floor within the area because the Blue Jays’ full-time heart fielder in 2020. However moved over to proper in ’21, he graded out as one of many higher fielders on the place on a per-inning foundation, accumulating 6 DRS and 5.5 UZR in simply 330.1 innings.

An influence-hitting outfielder who can passably play up the center and stand out within the corners is a helpful piece to have on a roster. The issue for the Blue Jays is that Grichuk’s profile is a bit redundant on their roster on condition that George Springer, Teoscar Hernández, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., all additionally right-handed energy hitters, are lined as much as take full-time roles within the outfield. That made Grichuk an costly and restricted backup. Blue Jays normal supervisor Ross Atkins acknowledged this poor roster match after the trade: “[Tapia is] only a higher complementary piece. Randal Grichuk’s an excellent baseball participant. However his ability set was similar to our different outfielders.”

In Colorado, Tapia had been displaced from his beginning gig in left area by Kris Bryant, however Grichuk ought to slot into the beginning lineup by pushing Charlie Blackmon from proper area to designated hitter. Blackmon’s defensive chops in proper had been drastically higher than what he was in a position to accomplish in heart area, however making him the common DH ought to assist hold his 35-year-old physique contemporary for your complete season. With an unlimited outfield to name residence and appreciable energy, it wouldn’t be shocking if Grichuk thrived in Denver; his batted-ball profile matches the park nicely, and if he hits for sufficient energy, he may lastly offset his on-base points.

As for Tapia, though he gained’t be assured a full-time function, he can cowl all three outfield positions and likewise present contact and pace off the bench. Because the beginning left fielder in Colorado, he posted a 79 wRC+ during the last three years with a largely empty .282 batting common. In that point, he slapped practically 60% of his batted balls into the bottom, serving to him benefit from his above-average dash pace. Unsurprisingly, his batted-ball profile is closely depending on operating excessive BABIPs; after posting a .392 BABIP and a career-high 97 wRC+ in 2020, that former determine dropped to .306 final 12 months, cratering his total offensive contributions.

To assist maximize his contact-heavy strategy, Tapia has tried to enhance his plate self-discipline during the last three years. His strikeout fee has fallen year-over-year since 2019, all the best way all the way down to 13.1% final 12 months, and his contact fee has correspondingly elevated, although he isn’t essentially making higher swing choices. His chase fee was nonetheless reasonably excessive; a lot of the enhancements had been a end result of a better contact fee on pitches within the zone. However that extra contact got here with a swing fee that fell eight factors from 2019 to ‘20 and stayed at that decrease stage in ‘21. It looks like Tapia grew assured in his strategy towards pitches he may deal with within the zone and stopped swinging as usually to keep away from making poor contact or whiffing.

Tapia earned strong defensive marks in left area however has seen restricted time on the different two outfield positions; he’s accrued simply 189.2 and 233.2 innings in heart and proper area, respectively. His pace ought to assist him thrive regardless of the place he’s lined up within the area, however his lack of expertise is likely to be a priority for a Blue Jays roster that all of the sudden doesn’t have a lot depth in heart.

Springer has dealt together with his justifiable share of accidents over the previous couple of years, and he’s getting into his age-33 season. If he had been to overlook time, the Blue Jays must press Tapia into full-time responsibility in heart area, although if that got here to cross, he in all probability would proceed to be a internet constructive within the area.

Along with Tapia, the Blue Jays additionally obtained Pinto, a 19-year-old infielder out of Venezuela. Signed as a world free agent in 2019, he made his skilled debut within the Dominican Summer season League final 12 months and earned MVP honors after slashing .360/.486/.543 and swiping a league-leading 41 bases. Regardless of the unbelievable begin to his profession, he wasn’t ranked on our 2022 Rockies prospect list. Scouting sources instructed our Eric Longenhagen that Pinto is short-levered with an athletic, free swing and good bat pace and common arms and actions on the infield. He’s doubtless a 35+/40 FV with the profile of a bench bat that may be plugged in across the infield.