The Blue Jays and Guardians are in settlement on a four-player commerce sending second baseman Andrés Giménez to Toronto. The Jays get Giménez and reliever Nick Sandlin for infielder Spencer Horwitz and outfield prospect Nick Mitchell. No money is altering palms, so the Jays are absorbing the ultimate 5 years of the Giménez contract.
It’s the primary out of nowhere commerce of the Winter Meetings. While it’s by no means an entire shock to see Cleveland deal a high-priced participant, there hadn’t been a lot to recommend they have been procuring their Gold Glove second baseman. Giménez gave the impression to be a core piece since he signed one of many greatest contracts in franchise historical past simply two seasons again: a seven-year, $106.5MM extension.
Instead, the defensive stalwart is on the transfer for the second time in his profession. Giménez started his profession with the Mets, the place his well-rounded profile made him one of many system’s prime prospects. Cleveland acquired him alongside Amed Rosario as the important thing items of their return for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco through the 2020-21 offseason.
Giménez struggled throughout his first 12 months in Cleveland, however he had a breakout displaying in 2022. He performed plus protection to win his first Gold Glove. Giménez additionally turned in an affect season on the plate, hitting .297/.371/.466 with 17 homers throughout 557 plate appearances. He was a deserved All-Star and completed sixth in MVP balloting within the American League.
Following that breakout season, the Guardians signed Giménez to the aforementioned extension. It stays the second-largest funding within the group’s historical past, not too far behind the $124MM deal which José Ramírez inked the previous spring. Cleveland certainly envisioned constructing their long-term infield round that duo.
That’s not fairly how issues performed out, as Giménez’s bat has taken a step backward. The Guardians in all probability didn’t anticipate him to repeat the offensive manufacturing he managed in 2022. He had a lofty .353 common on balls in play that may be onerous to take care of, nor was he more likely to be hit by as many pitches (an AL-high 25) as he’d been that 12 months. Giménez’s numbers in all probability dropped off extra sharply than Cleveland anticipated, although, as he has been a below-average hitter in consecutive seasons.
In 2023, the lefty-swinging Giménez hit .251/.314/.399 with 15 homers throughout 616 plate appearances. He improved his contact abilities however noticed his stroll charge and energy numbers take a step again. Those traits continued this 12 months. Giménez managed simply 9 homers in 633 journeys to the plate. He stored his strikeout charge to a tidy 15.3% clip however drew walks at a career-low 4.1% mark. He wrapped up the 12 months with a middling .252/.298/.340 slash — his weakest offensive output over his three full seasons in Cleveland.
Despite the regarding offensive traits, Giménez stays a useful all-around participant. He has stolen 30 bases in consecutive seasons and is an efficient total baserunner. He hasn’t had an injured record stint since 2020 and has topped 140 video games in every of the final three seasons. Most considerably, he’s the game’s greatest defensive second baseman. Giménez has been named the AL’s Gold Glove winner in three straight years. He has racked up 59 Defensive Runs Saved over that stretch. That’s effectively above Marcus Semien’s 37 mark that ranks second on the place. Statcast’s Outs Above Average doesn’t level to fairly as massive a discrepancy (49 to 40), however each metrics think about Giménez the sport’s greatest keystone defender.
The Jays have poked across the market at second and third base. They have a handful of younger gamers who’re able to manning one or each of these positions — Ernie Clement, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, Addison Barger, Orelvis Martinez and Leo Jiménez amongst them — however it’s a bunch mild on MLB expertise. Giménez has a a lot greater flooring within the center infield. He’ll play second base for not less than the upcoming season. That’s in all probability his long-term house, although he could possibly be a solution at shortstop if Bo Bichette walks subsequent offseason. Giménez got here up as a shortstop. He hasn’t performed there since 2022, however he’s an athletic sufficient defender that he may in all probability deal with the place.
The Jays are taking up an honest chunk of cash to make that occur. Giménez is underneath contract for not less than the following 5 seasons. He’ll make $10MM subsequent 12 months, $15MM in ’26, and $23MM yearly for the ultimate three assured years. There’s a $23MM membership possibility for the 2030 marketing campaign that comes with a $2.5MM buyout. The deal additionally requires a $1MM task bonus within the occasion of a commerce. Including that bonus, Giménez is assured $97.5MM for his age 26-30 campaigns. RosterResource calculates the Jays’ projected luxurious tax quantity round $229MM, placing them roughly $12MM beneath subsequent 12 months’s base threshold.
Toronto additionally deepens a subpar center reduction group with the Sandlin acquisition. The low-slot righty has a stable monitor document over 4 years within the massive leagues. Sandlin, who turns 28 subsequent month, carries a 3.27 earned run common throughout 195 1/3 profession innings. Despite a pedestrian 92-93 MPH fastball, he has proven the power to overlook bats. Sandlin carries a profession 27.7% strikeout charge, which he basically matched over 57 2/3 frames this previous season.
The Southern Miss product has middling management. Sandlin walked 11% of batters confronted this 12 months, proper according to his 11.4% total stroll share. That’ll in all probability preserve him within the center innings relatively than leverage work, however Sandlin’s four-pitch combine has helped him keep away from the platoon points that plague many ’pen arms. The Jays are determined for any form of reliability within the bullpen. Only the Rockies had a worse reduction group this 12 months. Toronto subsequently moved on from Jordan Romano, Génesis Cabrera and Dillon Tate. They’re in settlement to carry Yimi García again on a two-year free agent deal, however they may use as many as 4 or 5 reduction acquisitions this winter.
Sandlin has rather less than 4 years of MLB service. He’s getting into his second of 4 arbitration seasons after qualifying early as a Super Two participant. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks him for a $1.6MM wage subsequent 12 months. He ought to stay inexpensive over his three years of membership management.
The greatest enchantment for Cleveland is offloading the costly portion of Giménez’s contract. Horwitz, 27, gives them with an higher degree depth infielder. The lefty-hitting Horwitz has proven offensive promise each in Triple-A and the large leagues. He turned in a formidable .265/.357/.433 batting line over 381 plate appearances this 12 months. Horwitz picked up 12 homers and 19 doubles whereas displaying glorious strike zone consciousness. He walked at an 11% clip whereas placing out 18.4% of the time.
Horwitz has a stellar minor league monitor document. He’s a profession .316/.433/.471 hitter with practically as many walks as strikeouts in 208 Triple-A video games. He clearly has offensive skill, however he’s but to get a full MLB run due to an absence of defensive worth. Horwitz has been a primary baseman for many of his minor league profession. His 5’10” body and hit-over-power strategy are uncommon at that place. The Jays used him as a part of their second base combine as effectively, however groups don’t appear to view him as an on a regular basis participant there.
The lack of defensive flexibility made Horwitz a tricky match on a workforce with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He’s equally squeezed in Cleveland. Josh Naylor can be the primary baseman if he’s not traded. Kyle Manzardo may take over even when the Guardians transfer Naylor. Horwitz nonetheless has a minor league possibility, so he may return to Triple-A, however he has nothing left to show there offensively. It’d be a shock if a Cleveland workforce that emphasizes infield protection is prepared to make use of him as their common second baseman. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet tweets that Horwitz may find yourself being flipped to a 3rd workforce.
In any case, the Guardians might want to discover a new second baseman. Juan Brito is on the 40-man roster and hit .256/.365/.443 throughout his age-22 season in Triple-A. He’s a possible common, although there’d be danger for Cleveland in counting on a participant who has but to make his MLB debut. The Guards may pursue a stopgap through free company or commerce in the event that they wish to add some stability coming off a division title. Over the long run, the transfer opens second base for this 12 months’s first total decide Travis Bazzana. The Oregon State product profiles as a quick-moving second baseman who may get to the majors by the tip of subsequent season if all goes effectively.
Mitchell, a 21-year-old outfielder, rounds out the return. Toronto simply drafted the Indiana product within the fourth spherical. A left-handed batter, Mitchell hit .289/.350/.467 in 22 video games as a university draftee in Low-A. Baseball America wrote in its draft report that Mitchell had good contact abilities and above-average velocity that gave him a shot to stay in middle subject. He in all probability tasks as a fourth or fifth outfielder.
Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the Jays and Guardians have been finalizing a Giménez deal. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN was first with Horwitz’s inclusion. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic had Sandlin going to the Jays, whereas Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet was first to report the total commerce and the absence of money concerns.
Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.
