MLB Players: The parallel careers of Justin Smoak and Travis Shaw

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 05: Travis Shaw #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits an RBI single off of Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game at Spectrum Field on March 05, 2020 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

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Justin Smoak #14 of the Toronto Blue Jays (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /

MLB Players: Trading Places

Smoak and Shaw Shine

In 2015, Smoak was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays and faced a couple more seasons of decent power and decent defense at first.

In 2017, Shaw was traded to the Brewers (this is easily one of the worst trades Boston has ever made) as part of a deal that got the Red Sox Tyler Thornburg. This was also a byproduct of the Red Sox facing a log jam with Sandoval and Ramirez.

But man, 2017 quickly made the Red Sox regret that decision, and Smoak by far had his best season period.

Smoak played in all but four games in 2017 and reached career bests in every significant offensive category. 38 home runs, 90 RBI, a .270/.355/.529 slash line and most importantly, his first all-star game appearance.

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He wasn’t just in the game either. He received the most votes of AL first basemen and started the game in Miami for the AL. It is to date his only all-star appearance and he was the first Blue Jay to start at first base since Carlos Delgado did it in 2003.

Shaw wasn’t an all-star like Smoak but he certainly played like one. He also posted career bests in every offensive category: 31 homers, 101 RBI and a .273/.349/.513 slash line.

Shaw and Smoak similarly peaked during the exact same season with practically identical numbers on new teams when given the opportunity to embrace a starting role. Which makes what happened in 2019 truly upsetting.

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