Toronto Blue Jays add potential building block in Travis Shaw

The Toronto Blue Jays added another possible building block on Sunday, agreeing to a one year deal with Travis Shaw.

For the most part, the Toronto Blue Jays infield is set for the foreseeable future. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio have third through second seemingly locked in. The only real question that remains is at first base, where Rowdy Tellez did not have the strongest rookie campaign.

The Blue Jays may have found their answer at first in free agency. They have signed corner infielder Travis Shaw to a one year deal worth $4 million, with incentives that could bring the total deal to $4.675 million.

Shaw is not just a one year rental for the Blue Jays. He is under team control through the 2022 campaign, with two more years of arbitration remaining. Given his $4 million salary for this year, Shaw could be an affordable piece over that time frame.

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Back in 2017 and 2018, Shaw appeared to be a building block for the Brewers. In those two years, he posted a .258/.347/.497 batting line, hitting 63 homers and 57 doubles. Shaw even showed a surprising bit of speed, swiping 15 bases on 17 attempts.

However, the bottom fell out on Shaw in 2019. He struggled mightily at the beginning of the year, finding himself back in AAA. Overall, in his 270 plate appearances last year, Shaw produced a meager .157/.281/.270 batting line, with just five doubles and seven homers. Understandably, the Brewers declined arbitration, sending him to free agency.

A change of scenery may be just what Shaw needs. Even in that horrific 2019 campaign, Shaw displayed a solid walk rate and respectable exit velocities. It is not as though his ability completely vanished overnight.

In fact, Shaw may simply need to make an adjustment to his swing. He struck out in 33% of his plate appearances last season, easily the highest mark of his career. Shaw also hit far more fly balls, with a 6.9% increase in his fly ball rate from 2018. When he did make contact, he did hit the ball hard, but that determination to put the juiced ball into the air led to holes that were easily exploited.

With a few adjustments, Travis Shaw could be a building block for the Toronto Blue Jays. If not, then his salary will not prohibit them from moving on.