There was no harm in the Toronto Blue Jays giving Greg Bird a look. He had once been viewed as the future for the Yankees at first base before injuries derailed his career. At the cost of a minor league contract, Bird was certainly worth bringing in as a lottery ticket.
While he received consideration to be a part of the Blue Jays’ 28 man roster, that was not in the cards. Instead, Bird exercised a release clause in his contract and has flown back on the market.
Toronto Blue Jays let Greg Bird fly free
Bird had made a solid case for his inclusion on the Blue Jays’ roster. He had a strong showing in spring training with six hits, including two homers, and five walks in 28 plate appearances. Added to his strong showing in Triple-A last year, when he produced a .267/.362/.532 batting line in his 462 plate appearances in Albuquerque, hitting 27 homers and 21 doubles, he certainly seemed as though he could make an impact.
The problem is that the Blue Jays do not really have a place for Bird on the roster. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is entrenched at first, and while he may be better off as a designated hitter, the Blue Jays want to find ways to get Alejandro Kirk’s bat in the lineup. Bird would have been a solid enough depth piece to back up at both positions, but he may not have received much in the way of playing time.
It is entirely possible that he will find a home elsewhere. There are teams that are still looking for help at first base, and with the universal designated hitter, Bird could find himself with a major league offer. Otherwise, he may end up signing a minor league deal with a team that could have a clearer path to playing time than he would have had in Toronto.
Greg Bird had a strong showing in spring training for the Toronto Blue Jays. It just was not quite enough to earn a spot on their roster.