Blue Jays Shift Focus to AL Rival Star After Missing Adames

In a stunning turn of events, the San Diego Padres have signed star shortstop Xander Bogaerts, leaving the Toronto Blue Jays scrambling to fill a gaping hole in their infield. Initially, the Blue Jays were considered the frontrunners to land Bogaerts, but the Padres' aggressive offer proved too tempting for the All-Star shortstop.

Blue Jays' Missed Opportunity

The Blue Jays' pursuit of Bogaerts has been well-documented, with the team making him their top offseason target. Bogaerts' stellar performance at the plate and his exceptional fielding abilities made him the ideal candidate to anchor the Blue Jays' infield.

However, the Padres' willingness to offer Bogaerts a lucrative 11-year, $280 million contract was too good to pass up. The Blue Jays were reportedly unwilling to match that offer, leaving them empty-handed in their pursuit of the top free agent shortstop on the market.

New Target Emerges

With Bogaerts off the board, the Blue Jays have quickly shifted their focus to another AL East rival: the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox are reportedly willing to part ways with shortstop Trevor Story and have engaged in preliminary discussions with the Blue Jays.

Story is a two-time All-Star and the 2022 Silver Slugger Award winner. However, he has struggled defensively at shortstop, committing a league-high 30 errors in 2022.

Comparing Bogaerts and Story

While Story may not be the same caliber of player as Bogaerts, he would still be a significant upgrade over the Blue Jays' current options at shortstop. The following table compares Bogaerts and Story's key statistics from 2022:

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As the table shows, Bogaerts has a clear advantage over Story in terms of batting average, on-base percentage, and overall WAR. However, Story has more power and finished the 2022 season with a higher slugging percentage and OPS.

Defensive Concerns

Story's defensive struggles are a major concern for the Blue Jays. The team has placed a high priority on defense in recent years, and Story's error-prone play would be a detriment to their infield.

However, the Blue Jays could potentially address this issue by moving Story to second base or third base. Story has played both positions in the past, although he has primarily been a shortstop throughout his career.

Conclusion

The Blue Jays' failure to land Bogaerts is a major setback, but the team has quickly identified Story as a potential replacement. Story is a talented player with plenty of power at the plate. However, his defensive deficiencies could be a concern for the Blue Jays.

Ultimately, the Blue Jays' decision on whether or not to acquire Story will depend on how they evaluate his overall value and how they plan to address his defensive limitations. If they can make it work, Story could be a valuable addition to the Blue Jays' lineup.