Baltimore Orioles: Mark Trumbo Trails Betts in AL East Positional Rankings
By Nate Wardle
3. Toronto Blue Jays – Jose Bautista, Ezequiel Carrera, Michael Saunders, Junior Lake
Preseason prediction – 1st, Jose Bautista, Dalton Pompey, Ezequiel Carrera
Jose Bautista was not very good in 2016. He hit .234/.366/.452 with 22 HRs, 24 2Bs, 69 RBIs and 68 runs, despite again displaying an excellent eye at the plate. The batting average is the worst since he became a full-time player, even before he joined the Jays. His oWAR of 1.8 wasn’t bad, but his dWAR of -1.4 helps bring that down to a WAR of 1.0, meaning he is pretty close to replacement level. Now, playing DH some helped his numbers.
His range continues to be below average, and most of his defensive numbers are just, well not good. These were things I predicted in the preview piece.
Ezequiel Carrera and Michael Saunders were both discussed previously, with Carrera doing a good job as a utility outfielder, and Saunders excelling in the first half and slumping badly in the second. Junior Lake made right around ten starts and is a guy who never is going to provide much offense.
Bautista, of course, is now a free agent, and it doesn’t look overly likely he will be back in Toronto.