The Blue Jays are having Jose Reyes play at least one more game in triple-A. Whether the team doesn’t want to do anything to break up the superstitions surrounding its franchise-record-tying winning streak or Reyes just needs a few more at bats is a question.
Reyes went 2-5 with 2 singles yesterday for Buffalo. In six games between triple-A and single-A, he is 8-22 (.364). Reyes also stole another base yesterday, and he also scored from second on a hit up the middle. He seems to be running and rounding the bases on the previously sprained ankle just fine.
Alex Anthopoulos has not given an exact date when Reyes will be back with the big club, but hinted that his return might not come until the team travels to Boston on Thursday for a 4-game series. Anthopoulos said that Reyes is being evaluated day by day and could return at anytime. But he also mentioned that he might play today in Buffalo and then a couple games in New Hampshire, the Jays double-A team, which is logistically on the route to Boston.
The bigger question than “when will Reyes be back?” is “who leaves the team when Reyes inevitably comes back?”.
While nobody knows for sure, I have a feeling I know what move the Jays are leaning towards. I also have my own view (big surprise, eh?).
Jays take
Nobody wants to mess with the clubhouse chemistry right now and it appears Munenori Kawasaki is a big part of that. The Jays are carrying 8 men in the bullpen while the norm is 7. Kawasaki’s recent heroics and fan chants buy him a few more weeks with the club and the Jays make a move by trying to sneak left-handed Juan Perez through waivers and do not succeed. Perez and his affordable $380K contract are claimed by a team looking for lefty help in its bullpen. Kawasaki gets extremely limited playing time with the return of Reyes, plus the crowded infield of Maicer Izturis, Emilio Bonifacio, and Mark DeRosa and is sent to triple-A when Brett Lawrie returns shortly after the allstar break. Kawasaki gets an honourable call up when the roster expands in September, barring any unforeseen injuries to middle infielders that would bring him up sooner.
My take
Even though Kawasaki is a fan favourite and has shown heroics in his brief stint with the club, there just isn’t enough room on the roster for another middle infielder. Especially one that has minor league options and can be sent to triple-A with zero risk of being lost on a waiver claim. Kawasaki was signed as a minor league free agent to provide major league depth should a middle infielder go down with an injury. He has done this and done it well. However, he will receive nearly no playing time once Reyes returns and the Jays are committed to Izturis (due to his contract) and to Bonifacio (due to his superior natural skill set) and unfortunately, Kawasaki is the odd man out. Thoughts of sending a reliever down right before 4 games vs. the Red Sox might not be a great idea. It would be better to get through that series and the next 4 vs. the Tigers before taking the luxury of the additional arm off the roster. The rotation has been amazing but it won’t last forever. With the potent offences of the Red Sox and Tigers coming up, keeping the 8-man bullpen doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Especially when keeping Kawasaki really only buys the Jays time until Lawrie is back. Send Kawasaki down when Reyes returns and cut the bullpen to the traditional 7 when Lawrie is healthy. Who should go from the bullpen? Dustin McGowan, that’s who. He is owed $1.5 million this year and another $1.5 million next year. Then they Jays either pick up a $4 million club option for 2015 or buy him out for $500K. If you didn’t know McGowan and have an emotional attachment to his never-give-up attitude, you would be happy for the Jays to risk putting the hard-throwing righty through waivers – a pitcher who has had 3, count them, 3 shoulder surgeries. A guy who nobody expects to get anything out of for the rest of his career. Anything he does is considered a bonus. He is the least at risk to get picked up off waivers and should be the guy to go. He would undoubtably accept a minor league assignment since the Jays organization has been so good to him over the years. With hard-throwing Neil Wagner essentially doing what the Jays might get from McGowan, but only better, there really isn’t a need for his arm in the ‘pen right now. The relievers with minor league options aren’t going anywhere. Wagner and Aaron Loup are too valuable. If it’s between McGowan and Perez, McGowan has to go. This isn’t personal. It’s about putting the best team on the field and trying to win every game.
@IHRTBJs
