The Blue Jays will get Cavan Biggio back soon, but should he still be the starter at the hot corner?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/08/2021 (1561 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With Cavan Biggio progressing more quickly than expected from neck and back problems, the Blue Jays’ third-base situation is about to become very complicated.

The 26-year-old was named the everyday third baseman in the winter, when the Jays signed Marcus Semien to take his old position at second, but multiple injuries — first to his fingers, then to his back and neck — have submarined his season. He’s put up the worst offensive numbers of his career, hitting just .215/.316/.350 with only seven home runs, and the adjustment to a new spot on the diamond has not been smooth. Biggio struggled defensively early in the season, but improved to the point where he was a perfectly adequate defender at the hot corner before this latest trip to the injured list.

While Biggio struggled, Santiago Espinal stepped into the breach and made an impression whenever he was given the chance to play. There’s no doubt that the sophomore infielder is a quality defender — he came up as a shortstop and has made the switch to third base seamlessly, making difficult plays look routine on a regular basis — but the surprise has been what he’s done at the plate.

Going into Friday night’s series opener against the Mariners in Seattle, Espinal had hit .298/.357/.404 in the 42 games he started at third. That production, combined with the superior glovework, has led to calls from many corners for the 26-year-old righty swinger to take over the position full-time, whether Biggio is healthy or not.

It’s notable, however, that there’s never been a point when the Jays have given Espinal the reins at third base — told him to just take the job and run with it, even when Biggio has been out of action — and that’s telling.

The first time Biggio was injured, Espinal pretty much split the duties with the since-traded Joe Panik. This time around, Breyvic Valera has seen more action, though Bo Bichette missing a couple of games with a badly bruised shin has complicated things.

Sporadic use of Espinal in the absence of Biggio suggests they believe short spurts are the way to get the best out of their healthy third baseman — that Espinal could get exposed playing every day, so using him only three or four times a week is best.

The only way to test that theory is to see if Espinal can handle some serious run, but it doesn’t appear he’s going to get it.

Biggio began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday night — he walked twice, was hit by a pitch and grounded out as the designated hitter. On Friday night he started at third, so it wouldn’t be a major surprise to see him rejoin the big club when they come back from the west coast and start a series Tuesday night against the Nationals in Washington.

In his first two years in the big leagues, Biggio showed what he can do when healthy. In 159 games over 2019 and pandemic-shortened 2020, the lefty swinger posted a .798 OPS (17 per cent better than the average big-league hitter) with 33 doubles and 24 home runs.

This year, he played through a pair of hand injuries — one in spring training and another in mid-April. His numbers suffered, but he kept going out there until a neck sprain put him on the IL in late May. He looked like his old self when he came back, batting .256/.352/.467 for five weeks before the neck and back started to bother him again.

Outside those five strong weeks, Biggio has had a terrible year, but that production when he was actually healthy, combined with what he did to start his career, is why the Jays want him out there every day.

The fact that Biggio bats left-handed is another major point in his favour, and it’s one of the reasons why we’ve seen so much of Valera of late. When Espinal starts, outfielder Corey Dickerson — now fighting a back problem of his own — and catcher Reese McGuire are the only left-handed batters in the lineup. There’s a need for more balance, and right now Valera is providing that.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Jen Zoratti | Next

Wednesdays

What's next in arts, life and pop culture.

Sign up for Jen Zoratti | Next

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The switch-hitter the Jays just can’t quit, having claimed him on waivers from the Yankees in 2019 and again from the Padres last July, has been getting everyday reps for the past week and a half. Valera has been fine, hitting .276/.300/.310 in 30 plate appearances and playing solid defence. Interestingly, he hadn’t struck out in the month of August heading into Friday night, while walking only once.

It’s been surprising to see so much of Valera — he and Espinal have only been in the same lineup twice in Bichette’s absence — and one wonders what the Jays see in a 29-year-old who has played parts of four seasons in the majors and hit only one home run, while posting an OPS+ of just 64 (100 is average).

Of course, one also wondered what the Jays saw in Giovanny Urshela back in 2018, when they gave him a month of mostly terrible at-bats and cut bait mid-season. He has since come back to bite them, flourishing as the Yankees’ regular third baseman. Valera is out of options, so he would have to clear waivers if the Jays want to take him off the active roster, and the danger of giving up on a guy too soon may be the reason he’s been the primary option in Biggio’s absence.

Espinal has options remaining, so there’s a real possibility that he’s the one who goes, not Valera, when Biggio returns. It makes sense as far as asset management, but not in any other way.

Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness