TORONTO – The newest addition to the Toronto Blue Jays mix is Jarrod Dyson, the veteran outfielder claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals who can still play a little defence and crisply run the bases. Even at his best he didn’t hit very much and he hits even less now.
So, he fits how?
“He’s going to give us another option to play centre field and another option off the bench, he can steal bases,” explained manager Charlie Montoyo. “It’s another weapon for us to have.”
Used in specific spots, the incremental gains the 37-year-old offers make some sense, especially since George Springer isn’t likely to play centre field regularly upon his looming return. The star leadoff hitter did some outfield work and took BP on Friday, and his activation from the injured list is a “day-to-day deal right now,” said Montoyo, “which is good news.”
Springer’s good news and Dyson’s expected arrival to Comerica Park this weekend means two roster moves are coming, which makes the starting lineup in Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers all the more interesting.
Batting seventh in centre field was Josh Palacios, while Kevin Smith was hitting eighth at third base, and both are on the roster bubble right now. Given how important every game is right now as the Blue Jays try to claw their way back into the post-season hunt, and their recent dry spell at the plate, every lineup decision really matters.
Against rookie Matt Manning, the Blue Jays preferred the platoon advantage Palacios offered Randal Grichuk – in a likely preview of how Dyson fits the puzzle – and Smith to Santiago Espinal or Breyvic Valera.
That decision proved costly in the eighth, when Palacios tried to make a diving grab on Victor Reyes’ fading liner to centre, allowing the ball to skip all the way to the wall and the pinch-hitter to circle the bases for an inside-the-park homer that broke a 1-1 tie.
Palacios’ heart was in the right place – trying to make a hustle play to steal a hit – but in that situation, tie game, start of an inning, the priority is to not allow extra bases. Grichuk, or Dyson, would have known to keep the ball in front of them and that was a bad, bad time for a rookie mistake.
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Of course, the lack of offence highlights every single mistake the Blue Jays make and for a team built to outslug its opponents, consistently winning tight contests has been a struggle.
Once again there was no shortage of opportunity Friday, as they went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., delivering the only knock, cashing in Bo Bichette’s leadoff double in the third with a two-bagger of his own.
The Blue Jays went 1-for-31 with runners in scoring position in dropping two of three to Detroit last weekend in Toronto, and their inability to knock out the Tigers remains unfathomable.
That meant Steven Matz’s six innings of one-run ball – Jeimer Candelario doubled and Miguel Cabrera singled him home to tie the game 1-1 in the fourth – went to waste, the latest solid outing from a starter to not be leveraged.
