It’s too late for George Springer to salvage his disappointing season, but can the same be said about his trade value? The Blue Jays are about to find out.
Through the first three months this season, Springer was a shadow of his former self. A four-time all-star once known for his powerful bat stopped being an asset and became a liability.
Springer was batting .188 on June 24 with a .559 on-base-plus-slugging percentage that was the lowest among all qualified hitters in the majors. He looked lost and, as he entered his mid-30s it was fair to question whether he would ever be found.
Springer has been a different player since then. He is hitting .436 with five homers and 16 RBIs over his last 12 games. His OPS soared to .672 and along the way he reclaimed his customary spot at the top of the Jays’ batting order.
The recent sample size is too small to generate much interest from opposing teams but perhaps that will change if the hot streak continues up to the July 30 trade deadline. With more buyers than sellers at this time of year, it’s at least plausible.
It should go without saying that, if the Jays move Springer, they won’t get much of anything in return. At most, the organization might be able to acquire a low-level prospect. The goal here isn’t to restock the minor leagues, it’s to open a roster spot and shed some salary.
Stranger things have happened before. Vernon Wells’ contract was once considered untradeable until former general manager Alex Anthopoulos sent him to the Los Angeles Angels with approximately $90 million (U.S.) remaining on his contract.
What people often forget is that Wells was coming off a strong year. During his final season with the Jays in 2010, Wells made the all-star team while batting .273 with 31 home runs and 88 RBIs. It wasn’t until he joined the Angels for his age-32 season that his performance cratered for good.
Springer is two years older and the Jays would have to be willing to eat a lot of money to generate interest. He is still owed just under $60 million through the end of 2026 and the Jays have enough financial flexibility to retain salary and make that number more manageable for a trading partner.
One scenario could see the Jays cover the approximately $10 million owed this season while also chipping in a bit more for the next two years. Nobody is going to take his full contract, but there’s an outside chance a team would be desperate enough to take two-and-a-half years of Springer for $30-40 million.
The only shot the Jays have at making that happen is if Springer continues to hit like he has the last two weeks. All it takes is one team to believe that the recent mechanical adjustments will lead to sustainable improvement.
A trade still doesn’t seem likely but with offence down across the league and a limited number of sellers, these next few weeks might present the Jays with their only opportunity to move on from their once-prized signing. If there’s an offer, the Jays should jump all over it, even if it nets them nothing in return.
Diminishing assets
The three players most likely to be moved before the deadline are starter Yusei Kikuchi, reliever Yimi Garcia and catcher Danny Jansen. Unfortunately for the Jays, the value of all three has dropped significantly in recent weeks.
Kikuchi had a 2.64 ERA on May 21 and since then has a 6.50 ERA while completing six innings in just one of eight starts. Since May 26, Jansen is batting .140 with a .408 OPS. Garcia hasn’t pitched since June 16 because of a right elbow injury.
The timing couldn’t be much worse for the Jays, who risk missing out on an opportunity to replenish their depleted farm system. All three should remain available but, unless they turn things around soon, the returns won’t be nearly as good as once expected.
Pass the Rolaids
GM Ross Atkins has been fairly criticized for his weak lineup and failures in player development, but one area where he deserves a pass is the bullpen. Toronto’s relief corps is a mess but it’s also missing four of its top five arms in Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza and Garcia.
There isn’t a single team in baseball that would easily overcome those departures. While depth remains an issue, the emergence of Trevor Richards, Nate Pearson and Brendon Little has at least given manager John Schneider some options.
Entering the season, I wasn’t very high on this roster but the relievers were one group that appeared well-covered so there won’t be any second guessing here, even for a team with a 4.80 ERA, second-worst in the majors.
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