Jays infielder Santiago Espinal turns second-base platoon into a one-man show

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/04/2022 (1574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Forget about the platoon, it took all of two weeks for Santiago Espinal to secure an everyday role in the Blue Jays’ lineup. How long the 27-year-old remains in that capacity will depend on performance, but the job is his to lose.

Espinal opened the year in what was supposed to be a platoon at second base with Cavan Biggio. He came off the bench during the first two games against the Texas Rangers, hit a pair of key doubles in a reserve role and hasn’t looked back, starting all but one of the Jays’ next 15 games. He sparked a four-run rally in the eighth inning of the Jays’ 6-2 win over Boston on Monday.

Despite the playing time, the Jays have yet to declare Espinal as their starting second baseman, likely because they don’t want to offend Biggio. Instead, they have settled on labelling Espinal an everyday player while pointing out he could still start at other positions when guys are resting. Semantics aside, he’s a regular.

“It has been really steady from Day 1,” Jays general manager Ross Atkins said while reflecting on the 2018 trade that saw the Jays acquire Espinal from Boston for Steve Pearce. “We thought he could play shortstop. We were excited about the versatility, the athleticism, we saw upside in the bat.

“We liked the contact ability, and it just has really proven to be true … As he gained strength and confidence, there was the potential of an everyday player.”

Espinal is one of just five players on the Jays who can boast about having appeared in all 17 games this season. Sixteen of those have come at second, the other at third when Matt Chapman got a rare day off from the starting lineup.

For those who haven’t been watching the Jays closely, they might be wondering what all the fuss is about. After going 1-for-3 on Monday night, Espinal is batting .226 with a .703 on-base plus slugging percentage, which is only slightly above league average. Those numbers are fine, but they certainly don’t scream key contributor or demand a regular presence in the lineup.

The stats, however, don’t reveal everything. One, it’s still early and, with sample sizes this small, the numbers can dramatically change from one day to the next. Two, it doesn’t account for how timely Espinal’s hits have been. Of his four doubles, all but one tied the game or gave the Jays the lead in the seventh inning or later. One of his homers came off Houston ace Justin Verlander, the other was a game-tying blast in the seventh inning. On Monday, it was his one-out single off Matt Strahm that eventually paved the way for Bo Bichette’s game-winning grand slam.

Third, and potentially most important for his role on a team that already possesses an elite lineup, he offers game-changing defence. He has made several highlight-reel plays at second, including two this past weekend, with a diving grab to rob the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez of at least one RBI, and a spectacular snag up the middle to take a single away from Chas McCormick. Espinal is tied for third on the Jays with a 0.4 WAR, per Fangraphs.

“If he touches it, it’s an out,” Atkins said. “That’s probably the most impressive thing, and that’s not giving enough credit to his range … It’s the finishing ability, whether it’s charging a ball, bare-handing it, or going deep into the hole, diving, the agility, athleticism and the strength to get up and quickly release the ball accurately so often … (it) is well above major-league average, in my opinion.”

Espinal’s runway as an everyday player got a bit longer Monday afternoon when Biggio, his main competitor, was placed on the COVID-related injured list. Biggio’s setback was unfortunate but, even before he got sick, his playing time had become somewhat sporadic. After starting the first two games at second, Biggio has made just one start there since. He has managed to get into 13 games but has been forced to move around to make it happen with appearances at first, right field and designated hitter.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Thursdays

Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.

Sign up for Mike McIntyre | On Sports

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

What seems obvious here, yet remains unspoken by the club, is that Espinal has locked down second base, at least for the time being, while Biggio will slide into a super utility role whenever he receives clearance to return.

“I talk about defence all the time, and he offers plenty of defence, wherever he is,” Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “He has been outstanding. Those plays where he’s on the left side and he’s got to go to the right side, they’re not easy, and he makes those plays, like, all the time. It seems like no big deal, but when you play close games all the time, every play counts.”

Every spring, a big deal gets made of the players who claim to be in the “best shape of their lives.” Often, the extra work they put in during the winter months leads to similar results on the field.

Espinal might be an exception. After putting on 15 pounds of muscle during the off-season, he has been driving the ball with more authority. He’s not going to turn into a 30-homer player any time soon, but more than half of his hits have gone for extra bases and the additional pop is welcome, especially when it’s accompanied by that type of glove. Where things go from here is up to him.

Gregor Chisholm is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @GregorChisholm or reach him via email: gchisholm@thestar.ca