Kansas City Royals sign Jon Jay to one year contract
By David Hill
It took until the beginning of March, but the Kansas City Royals may have found their starting center fielder.
On a roster full of question marks, one of the bigger mysteries involved who would play center for the Kansas City Royals. Paulo Orlando and Jorge Bonifacio were expected to compete for the starting role. Alex Gordon had played a bit in center during Spring Training. Even breakout second baseman Whit Merrifield was discussed as an option, showing the lack of depth that the Royals had at the position.
The search for a center fielder may have come to an end. The Royals have signed Jon Jay to a one year deal worth $3 million. Jay has a chance to earn another $1.5 million in incentives, which are tied in to the number of plate appearances he receives over the year. To make room on the 40 man roster, Jesse Hahn was placed on the 60 day disabled list due to a sprained UCL.
Source: The Royals' one-year deal with Jon Jay is worth $3 million with a possible $1.5 million in performance bonuses.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) March 6, 2018
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Jay had another solid performance in 2017. Playing for the Cubs, he produced a .296/.374/.375 batting line, hitting 18 doubles. He played at all three spots in the outfield, appearing in over 15 games at each position. Jay even threw a scoreless inning, giving Drew Butera company on the position players who pitch list.
This move gives the Royals an intriguing top of the lineup. With Jay and Merrifield hitting in the first two positions, Kansas City would actually have two players with on base skills before the heart of the order. The Royals may actually be able to score a few runs and have extended plate appearances. And, at least in theory, this move would push Alcides Escobar out of the leadoff spot. Likewise, Orlando can slot in as a fourth outfielder for the Royals.
In bringing in Jay on this contract, the Royals have made another solid move in terms of value. Neither he nor Lucas Duda have not broken the Royals bank, and may well be flipped for prospects should Kansas City struggle. These two signings are virtually the definition of low risk.
Signing Jay also signals that Terrance Gore and Bubba Starling missed out on their chance to make an impact this season. An exciting speedster, Gore has primarily functioned as a pinch runner in the Herb Washington mold, as he has looked completely overmatched at the plate. Starling, the former fifth overall selection in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, has been a thorough disappointment. At this point, it would not be remiss to say that one cannot spell BuSt without Bubba Starling.
Next: Royals reward Duda with contract
The Kansas City Royals have, in theory, brought stability to centerfield by signing Jon Jay. He also gives the Royals another solid veteran presence, and an intriguing option at the top of the lineup.