Ross Atkins, speaking Monday after the first day of the GM meetings at the Waldorf Astoria, described getting someone to protect against the uncertainty around Devon Travis and Troy Tulowitzki as his team’s top priority. But addressing the need is going to be difficult because productive super utility types are a commodity he admitted, “every team values significantly.”
The options are not plentiful in free agency with Eduardo Nunez, acquired mid-season by the Boston Red Sox from the San Francisco Giants, available on the high end, and Danny Espinosa, who bounced through three teams last year, a roll-the-dice, bounce-back option.
While the Blue Jays are trying to create their own Ben Zobrist in Cuban prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr., he’s going to need some time. That leaves either anteing up for Nunez or trading for someone like Milwaukee’s Jonathan Villar, San Diego’s Yangervis Solarte or Marwin Gonzalez of the Houston Astros to make it happen.
“We just want to consolidate depth into elite level talent—if we can,” Girsch said. “Now, there aren’t a lot of teams wandering around saying ‘here, take our elite level player,’ but there are some who have possibilities.”
One way or another, the Cardinals are trading an outfielder or two this winter, and even assuming the Blue Jays keep Donaldson, they’re match up neatly with St. Louis. The Blue Jays have depth in the bullpen and with Dexter Fowler, Randal Grichuk, Tommy Pham, Stephen Piscotty, Jose Martinez, Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader and Oscar Mercado all in the organization, the Cardinals have more outfielders than they can handle.
“We have depth in the outfield to the point where it’s not even fair to our players to bring all of them back,” Girsch said. “There are guys who deserve to be in the big-leagues who’d be pushed to triple-A. There are guys who deserve to be in triple-A who’d be pushed to double-A. We almost have to move some outfielders.
“So yeah, we’re listening, we’re talking, we’re exploring.”
For now, the same applies to all 30 teams. Within days, those discussions will turn to action and the off-season will finally start taking shape.