The Blue Jays have optioned second baseman Devon Travis to Triple-A and recalled right-hander Carlos Ramirez, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
The 27-year-old Travis is a familiar name who has enjoyed success in the past, which theoretically makes this a surprising move. However, Travis has dealt with injury issues throughout his career and, although he’s healthy now, has gotten off to a dreadful start in 2018. Travis has batted an ugly .148/.212/.246 (25 wRC+) through 66 plate appearances, making it difficult for Toronto to keep him in its lineup – let alone in the majors. Sending Travis to the minors could enable him to get back up to speed in the wake of his injury-shortened 2017, as MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently noted.
In light of Travis’ struggles, prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been seeing some time lately at second. While Gurriel has also gotten off to a slow start, he seems likely to serve as Toronto’s top second base option now that Travis is headed to Buffalo. That may change when on-the-mend third baseman Josh Donaldson returns from a shoulder injury, which could push utility player Yangervis Solarte from the hot corner to the keystone.
Good move iron out the bugs and he’ll be back in no time
The right move
TOR can compete this year. Get Vlad Jr up. With these injuries and underperformers, he’d be an instant upgrade to this team.
lol
Bahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Vlad Jr?
Why?
What for?
Just release Morales and approx 22m owed to him and make Vlad Jr the DH and or share 3b with JD.
The thing about Vlad is that he is still developing as a complete player. His bat probably would be better than Morales at DH, but I don’t want to hinder his development at 3b. Sharing time with JD won’t help either.
JD will be gone in a year anyway, so I’d rather let Vlad become the best 3b he can in AA before calling him up next year.
Is this a real comment? The jays aren’t going to give up a year of control on any of their top end prospects. Wouldn’t be shocked to see Vlad jr and bo until 3 weeks into 2020. whatever keeps their clocks from running.
He’ll be up in September this year or mid may next year
Vlad Jr hadn’t even played at AA until this month. It’s moronic to call him up now.
Hey JDGOAT here’s the example of a AAAA player.
You evidently don’t know as much baseball as you think.
“Hey JDGOAT . . . You . . . don’t know as much baseball as you think.”
Calling someone out in a thread he hasn’t yet participated in? I hope there’s a good reason for this.
major there is, there most certainly is.
OK, tgcf, I’ll give it some time to develop.
Thanks majorflaw. This guy is becoming one of the worst commenters on this site. He had a breakdown one day because I said Tyler Wade wasn’t good and for almost a month now has constantly trolled me. It’s getting pathetic
No you attacked Judge,Severino,and Stanton over the months.
Again, for the millionth time, what did I say that was wrong? How did I “attack” them.
Like I don’t get what your incoherent rambling is about. I think Judge is great, Severino is a pitcher that I think of as a guaranteed L when someone faces him, and the only thing that I have said about Stanton is that he has an albatross contract. Like you literally just target me because I said something about Wade, and it’s truly pathetic. Obviously other people agree as well
Couple of observations, for both JDG and tgcf.
1. It’s a better argument/discussion to read when you focus on the substance of the comment that you are trashing rather than the person who posted it. Zero problem with criticizing, even ridiculing, a comment on its substance.
2. Other folks who have no dog in your fight are not gonna take the time and do the homework necessary to figure out which one is “right” or at least less blameworthy. It just comes across as noise from both sides.
3. After awhile you’ve just gotta accept the fact that the other guy exists and will continue to post his (undoubtedly wrong) opinion. Either sharpen your skills at attacking/criticizing/ridiculing his opinion or let it go. Repeating the same attack lines gets old quickly. And finally….
4. A pox on both your houses for making me play peacemaker. But seriously, you are both capable of posting thoughtful comments. Also some which are not so much. As an impartial observer I prefer it when both of y’all stick to the former. YMMV.
Well thought out and very well received on this end.
Not worried about someone trying to add fluff or try to raddle with the dreaded meaningless downvotes.
You and I have disagreed in the past but I feel you know what this other guy posted is just not true.
So go team.
Agreed. There’s no reason to just try and start something. Greatcereal, if you’re over the age of 12, grow up. You never add anything to these comment boards except for your personal attacks, like this one. If JD says something, then maybe something’s warranted. But you are looking extremely moronic right now
You have no Idea. This was made in jest and he knows why so how about staying in your lane or try reading his Yankees posts besides the Wade.
Please cereal, just get over yourself. Nobody should be getting as mad as you are because of a player like Tyler Wade
Unless he is Tyler Wade….
Now I’ll admit that’s funny. Kudos
Stop cerealfamine. You’re the one in the wrong, not anyone else
MYOFB
I didn’t know AAAA players had success at the MLB level
Thegreatcerealfamine, stop having a grudge against JDGoat, just because Wade is trash
that should help his confidence
Hopefully this gives him the time he needs to get back to being one of their best hitters. He had a start just like this last year and then was one of the games hottest hitters for May until he got injured. If they have any success this year, he’s going to be a huge part of determining that.
Hey, Toronto! Interested in taking on Starlin Castro’s salary?? He’s hitting .300.
Nope.
Castro for Morales. Done.
When JD comes back I’d rather bench Diaz than Solarte or Gurriel. Can either of those two play a passable MLB SS? They’ve certainly got experience I just don’t know how they compare to Diaz, who can’t hit at all.
I think Gurriel can
I think Gurriel can too, but the organization doesn’t. If Gurriel could play SS in their eyes the Jays would have dropped Diaz to AAA instead of Travis – which would have been the correct move. Today they have Diaz at SS and Gurriel at 2B. Guess what DeShields did first at bat? Tapper to SS, Diaz didn’t have the range or arm to come close to an out. The second or third time this series with the same batter.
Jays do not see Gurriel as a SS yet they think Diaz is perfectly fine. Stupidity.
Diaz hasn’t played as poorly as Travis, that’s all there is to it. And sending Diaz down would mean they don’t have a backup SS, which is partly why Gurriel was kept over Travis in the first place. If they thought he couldn’t play SS, then he wouldn’t be the only capable backup SS on the MLB roster.
Travis is a notorious slow starter. Diaz has no arm, little range, suspect glove and can’t hit. So at this present time the Jays have 1 SS they have no faith in at SS (Gurriel), and a AAA level second baseman in Diaz. I’ll take my chances with a Devon Travis and 1 SS. Recognizing Diaz as a viable SS is the first problem.
As I have said before, Diaz is not a MLB player defensively at SS or with the bat. Bad trade. Jays miscalculated.
As far as making room on the roster for JD, because of the contract, the Jays are going to give Morales time to sort out his eyesight/hand coordination issues. Travis needs to stay downa while. The Jays would be good to trade him so he can play in the MLB on grass.
Grichuk is the one that needs to be immmediately released. They Cards fleeced the Jays even worse on this one than Diaz. Grichuk will never hit at the MLB level. He was the 4th outfielder in St Louis for a reason. Everytime he slumped which is for a half a season, they sent him down.
Gurriel Jr is going to be a very good player. Perhaps he will even get an elite level as he learns MLB pitchers. There is no question he can pick it up. He is learning the turf and bounces too.
Lastly, there is no way the Jays are competing this year. Not going to happen. Vlad jr – there is no chance, zero, none, that the Jays are going to burn a year of controllability for this season’s MLB efforts. Waste of keystrokes to talk about.