Inbox: Who is the answer at third base?

The Blue Jays have weathered the storm in April, working around multiple injuries to their lineup and pitching staff while they await the debut of star outfielder George Springer.

That’s right around the corner, with Tuesday’s series opener against the Nationals in Dunedin a possibility. Teoscar Hernández could be close behind, and No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson is getting closer to making his return to the rotation, so help is on the way.

Here are your questions after Toronto’s 10-11 start:

Who’s your short-term and long-term answer at third?
-- @AJRowe9

This question came in a dozen times this week, and for good reason. Cavan Biggio has been unsteady at third base to open the season, and when this roster is healthy, the hot corner remains the club's biggest opportunity for a positional upgrade. We know that Biggio can play anywhere, too, so that wouldn’t necessarily be a demotion. In a utility role, Biggio could still be in the lineup nearly every day.

For now, consider third base to be similar to the back end of the Blue Jays’ rotation. You’ll see names cycling through, including Santiago Espinal and Joe Panik, depending on matchups and who’s available. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t entirely off the table, either, but the club would prefer to let him spread his wings at first. By the Trade Deadline, this position could look different, as it’s already becoming a more pressing need than most expected. At some point in 2022, No. 3 prospect Jordan Groshans will be the one to watch.

Is the clock ticking for Danny Jansen? As good as he might be at calling the game, his offensive production is close to none for two years now. How patient will the Jays be with him?
-- @observasport

The Blue Jays love Jansen behind the plate and love how he handles a staff. But unless the rotation is reeling off no-hitters, Jansen’s .049 average and .207 OPS aren’t cutting it. Jansen has been hitting the ball harder recently, so I expect a turnaround, but calls for Alejandro Kirk are understandably growing. Jansen will be given every opportunity to turn this around, but the timeshare could grow closer.

This catching situation is a great example of how the Blue Jays may need to adjust their patience, given that they’re no longer a “young, developing team.” They’re expecting to contend, and they need more from the catching position. No. 19 prospect Riley Adams will be in Triple-A when the season opens, and No. 8 prospect Gabriel Moreno, who the organization loves, should be in Double-A.

When George Springer and Teoscar Hernández both come back from injury (hopefully soon), who are the fielders that are currently impacted the most going forward?
-- @mattr798

Jonathan Davis is the logical starting point, given that both are outfielders, and it will push Josh Palacios another rung down the depth chart. Both should still have a role at some point in the season, though. I’m most curious how this will impact Rowdy Tellez’s at-bats. Both Springer and Hernández will need some DH days as they ease back in, and so will the regulars as manager Charlie Montoyo cycles them through. Going into May, when the off-days thin out, Tellez will have to hit to stay in the lineup with any regularity.

Outside of Nate Pearson, what other young pitchers might come up this season within the Blue Jays' system?
-- @ScottJurgens

Keep Joey Murray in mind. The club’s No. 18 prospect has an elite spin rate on his fastball, which he’s throwing a bit harder in 2021, and the Blue Jays trust his maturity on the mound. No. 7 prospect Alek Manoah could force his way into the picture by the end of the season, potentially for a bullpen debut if he’s still throwing hard come September, but a lot of things would need to go right. No. 4 prospect Simeon Woods Richardson seems more likely for a traditional call up, and even though he’s just 20, the right-hander is very advanced.

Everyone admires Pete Walker’s coaching of our pitchers, but what is the state of our hitting coaches? Is there nothing they can do to overcome the tailspin?
-- Morrey E.

Good question, because many players use hitting coaches differently, which makes this so difficult to quantify. Both Kirk and Biggio have explained recently that they like to be their own hitting coaches and know their swings best, using coaching as a second voice, while others lean more heavily on it. The Blue Jays have Guillermo Martinez as their hitting coach and Dave Hudgens, a former hitting coach, along with Dante Bichette as a special assistant, working at all levels of the organization. It’s easier to quantify the impact of a pitching coach than a hitting coach, but at the end of the day, the bat is in the player’s hands.