The Toronto Blue Jays opened the season with a reloaded roster and some clear World Series expectations.
But after the first three series of the year, things haven’t gone to plan.
The Blue Jays lost their series against the lowly Colorado Rockies, then were swept by the Chicago White Sox before heading into their Fall Classic rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. And the roster has been hit with a variety of injuries and setbacks, with Cody Ponce, Alejandro Kirk, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Trey Yesavage and Anthony Santander all dealing with ailments already.
Advertisement
But amid the losses and injuries, the Blue Jays can look toward one promising development. After taking a flyer on 2020 Silver Slugger Award winner Eloy Jimenez with a minor league contract, the team seems like it could have a boost to its batting order just waiting for a promotion.
On Monday, Jimenez was named the Legends Player of the Week in Triple-A after he slashed .375/.429/.542 with nine hits and five RBI in his first seven games.
Advertisement
And after Addison Barger left Sunday’s game with injuries in both ankles and with Santander potentially missing the entire season after shoulder surgery, Jimenez could have an opportunity to join the big league roster soon.
“Eloy Jiménez came out swinging in Triple-A with Toronto, earning Player of the Week honors,” Major League Baseball insider Mike Rodriguez wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “He went 9-for-24 (.375) with 1 home run and 5 RBIs, along with a .455 OBP and an impressive .970 OPS. He continues to prove he’s ready to get back to MLB and produce for any team.”
Jimenez was assigned to Triple-A shortly before the season began despite a strong Spring Training. He was a highly regarded prospect before enjoying a strong rookie season for the Chicago White Sox, followed by his Silver Slugger sophomore campaign.
Advertisement
Struggles with injuries then derailed his subsequent seasons. But if he has rediscovered his previous form at the plate and can maintain his health, he could become a big-league solution for the Blue Jays soon. Particularly if they endure any more injuries in the outfield.
Or, if the Blue Jays are looking to fortify another area of their roster, like the rotation, the team might leverage Jimenez’s strong start to drum up some trade interest, sending him to an organization that is ready to bring him onto its big-league roster
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
