With the trading deadline approaching the Toronto Blue Jays are getting hot. Adding Donovan Solano to the mix would be a huge upgrade to current roster.
Don’t look now but the Toronto Blue Jays have won six games in a row and are back within striking distance of the division lead, as well as moving into an even better position in the wild card standings. As the trade deadline approaches they should look at bringing in Donovan Solano to bolster the bench.
The current state of the Blue Jays reserve corps is not good. Throw in an injured Bo Bichette, which forces one of those backups into action on a nightly basis putting the spotlight on the Jays biggest weakness.
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Their bench.
The American League East is very competitive and the odds of the Blue Jays maintaining this level of play are not good. However, over a third of the way through the season, they see themselves in the thick of things still and should upgrade the roster. Still being a couple of years away from series contention, they don’t want to give up anything big or make that huge splash in the market.
Therefore reserve infielder Donovan Solano fits their wish list perfectly.
The 32-year-old Solano has been a bit of a surprise this year for the San Francisco Giants. For quite some time he was hitting over .400, though he has cooled to .386 in recent days. Solano is not a power hitter though he is a doubles machine, and he has been instant offense this year for the Giants.
A look at the batting averages of those Jays infielders coming off the bench is discouraging. Brandon Drury, .179. Joe Panik, .176. Santiago Espinal, .217. Not only is Solano an upgrade offensively, but he is also a very versatile glove-man who can play any infield position outside of first base.
Everything fits for this trade to work. The Giants are out of contention, looking to trade assets. The Toronto Blue Jays are in need of offensive help. Solano is making a shade over $1M, which is team-friendly. In baseball years he’s an old man, so wouldn’t command much in return.
The time is now to make a move, Toronto. Get Giants General Manager Scott Harris on the phone and get this deal done.