
2. What will the Blue Jays do in the outfield?
Let’s be honest: Raimel Tapia gave the Toronto Blue Jays a left-handed outfield option in 2022, but it wasn’t the one that the franchise really desired.
Acquired from the Colorado Rockies in a trade that sent Randal Grichuk to Denver, Tapia posted a 91 OPS+ and 0.2 bWAR. Spending time at all three outfield positions, the 28-year-old Tapia provided some highlight-worthy moments, but wasn’t consistent enough to give Toronto what they needed from a left-handed bat option in a crowded outfield.
As a comparison, George Springer posted a 4.0 bWAR last season while Teoscar Hernandez (2.7) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (2.2) also easily outperformed what Tapia brought to the table.
For Toronto, having a left-handed bat in the outfield who doesn’t produce needs to change in 2023. The Blue Jays need to find an option for the position who can consistently produce at the plate from the left side, and that could well knock Tapia out of a job.
While Tapia certainly may have his fans out there, the simple truth is that he wasn’t the answer in Toronto. Now the Blue Jays need to strike in the offseason with another offensive weapon who can not only fit into the lineup, but lengthen it as well.