Blue Jays Insider Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith on “X”) named San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater as a potential trade target for Toronto on the “At The Letters” podcast on Sportsnet.ca. Slater’s ability to crush lefties makes him a compelling option for Toronto. “You probably don’t want Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier, two guys with career OPS’s below .700 against left-handed pitching to be facing lefties all the time,” Nicholson-Smith mentioned. Nicholson-Smith also mentioned Santiago Espinal as a player that could be of use to the San Francisco Giants.
With rookie Marco Luciano (39th-ranked MLB Prospect on MLB.com) projected to hold the shortstop position throughout the season for the Giants (per RosterResource), Nicholson-Smith mentions how the Giants “might want to have something a bit more proven” in order to spell Luciano in the case of growing pains. Since long-time shortstop Brandon Crawford is gone, the Giants could be in the market for an experienced middle infielder. Santiago Espinal could fill that gap for San Fran.
Austin Slater’s Potential Impact in The 6
Outfielder Austin Slater had a solid season against left-handed pitching, putting up an .800 OPS against southpaws in 2023. In 89 games in 2023, Slater put up a .748 OPS with 5 HRs, 20 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 110. Slater’s career numbers are solid as well. Since his rookie season in 2016, the 31-year-old has a .747 OPS. In 2021, the Toronto Blue Jays had the highest OPS (.806) against lefties. In 2023, that ranking dropped to 11th (.758 OPS). Slater would be a welcome addition to push the Blue Jays back into the top 10 against southpaws.
Slater’s defensive statistics show that he is serviceable in the outfield. Slater played all outfield positions in 2023, tallying an above-average 1 OAA. When Daulton Varsho or Kevin Kiermaier take a day off, Slater can put the Blue Jays worries to rest about his abilities defensively.
Austin Slater signed a 1-year, $4 million deal in November with the San Francisco Giants. He is to become an unrestricted free agent for 2025, which is certainly something the Blue Jays front office should consider if they pursue Slater.
What Would Santiago Espinal Bring to San Fran?
2B/SS Santiago Espinal has usually served as a platoon player for the Toronto Blue Jays. 2023 was a struggle for Espinal offensively, as he put up a lowly 80 wRC+ and .644 OPS. However, historically, the 29-year-old has provided quality offensive production for Toronto. He put up a 100 wRC+ in 2022 and 115 wRC+ in 2021. Espinal averaged an .811 OPS against lefties between 2021 and 2022. With San Francisco putting up a measly .683 OPS against southpaws in 2023 (28th in MLB), Espinal could be a welcome addition to the Bay Area.
The Toronto Blue Jays wouldn’t exactly suffer a substantial loss if Santiago Espinal were to be traded. Middle-infielder Cavan Biggio had a much better 2023 season offensively than Espinal, putting up an impressive 103 wRC+ and .710 OPS in three-quarters of the regular season. Biggio’s total DRS at 2B last year was a serviceable -3, while Espinal was barely ahead at -1. Neither stood out as a defensive product anyway. Cavan Biggio can fill the hole that Espinal would leave at a high level.
Wrapping It Up
Overall, Austin Slater provides value in an area where the 2023 Blue Jays struggled in compared to previous seasons. The loss of Santiago Espinal doesn’t leave Toronto scrambling for replacements, as Addison Barger, Davis Schneider, and Cavan Biggio are all players that serve a similar purpose at a debatably higher level offensively. If Toronto can get a deal done for Slater, Blue Jays fans can rest assured that they are getting a consistent option in the outfield that mashes lefties.