Inbox: Who will the Blue Jays promote for roster expansion?

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

How’s the roller-coaster ride treating you?

What looked like a soft spot on the Blue Jays’ schedule has brought more headaches. But coming out of a much-needed off-day Thursday, the Blue Jays pick things up with series against the Rockies, A’s and Royals -- all of whom are miles below .500.

There’s still so much opportunity ahead for the Blue Jays as they try to climb back into an American League Wild Card spot, but as you’ve seen lately, that hill is growing steeper and more complicated.

For now, here are my thoughts on our reader's questions:

Who will the Blue Jays promote for roster expansions? And why do they keep passing over Orelvis Martinez and Addison Barger? -- Joshua J.
Let’s start with a “type” and throw it to manager John Schneider.

“We’re looking at a contact bat off the bench, I think,” Schneider said. “Depending on health and what we have here, position is not so much [a factor]. I think we have a lot of versatility with guys that are here. Someone that could put together a good at-bat, and it may not be on a consistent basis. That’s what we’ve been targeting.”

That points more toward of Nathan Lukes or Spencer Horwitz. Martinez (the club's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Barger (No. 5) have incredible potential and bring more power, but the word “contact” matters here. In the 50 games since being optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in June, Horwitz has hit .379 with a .484 on-base percentage. If the Blue Jays want a bench bat who puts the ball in play and delivers quality at-bats, it’s him.

All that said, the Angels’ stunning decision to place six notable players on waivers Tuesday changes the landscape.

What is the role of [bench coach] Don Mattingly on the team? I know his official job title, and they always show him talking to Bo, Vlad, etc. about hitting and fielding, but should fans expect him to take on a larger role? -- Brett Y.
The boring answer is that Mattingly does a little bit of everything, but let’s stop short of “collaboration” and the other familiar buzz words.

Where I’ve heard Mattingly’s name mentioned most is with reading in-game situations. Mattingly’s incredible experience in the game is such an asset for reading pitchers or opposing base runners. If you’ve seen the Blue Jays execute a pickoff or a “set play,” there’s a good chance that Mattingly was behind it or put the call on himself.

Why did they change this team from offense centered to defense centered? They should have just made minor tweaks to build on the successes vs. restructure. -- Howie (@HaroldAhmed23)
Six months ago, I liked the idea to “rebrand.” Whether the Blue Jays were notably better or worse was hard to say, but after a couple of seasons struggling to get over the hump, approaching the same problem differently made some sense. The results haven’t come just yet though.

This brings me back to power, which is the main thing the Blue Jays sacrificed. This lineup should sit near the top of the league in home runs, not the middle, and an extra home run every week or two would cover up a lot of problems. If you’re going to play the game of strong defense with an offense that moves runners, you need to nail it.

Do they let Matt Chapman walk? -- @BJaysNews
This is Chapman’s big opportunity to cash in, and while the Blue Jays love him, so could 29 other clubs. The contract Chapman signs might look a little different than we expected after his incredible start to the season, but regardless, he’ll be one of the top infielders available.

Still Toronto has Davis Schneider on top of the infield group of Martinez, Barger, Horwitz and others. There’s always a number that could work for both sides, but if the Blue Jays move on from Chapman, they have the pieces to run an internal competition or hit the trade market aggressively.

Can Alan Roden replace Kevin Kiermaier next season, with Daulton Varsho in center and Roden taking over left field full time? -- Glenn M.
Yes… but that’s not a safe plan to start the season. Instead, I see the Blue Jays adding an outfielder or re-signing Kiermaier, then working in Roden if he continues his success at Triple-A. In 33 games at Double-A New Hampshire, he’s batting .311 with six home runs and a .922 OPS, showing more power than expected. Every single arrow is pointing up for the club’s No. 7 prospect, who could be an on-base machine.