Stress-testing the Blue Jays’ depth at all nine defensive positions

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Spring is a time for optimism, but no team gets through the season unscathed. When you play 162 games in just 185 days, adversity and attrition are inevitable. The only question is how teams handle those challenges, not whether they face them.

This time of year, some teams are better equipped than others to overcome injuries to their position players. The Rays are deeper and more flexible than the White Sox, just as the Dodgers are deeper and more flexible than the Rockies.

As for the Toronto Blue Jays? Well, their pitching depth is already being tested, and their position player depth warrants a closer look, too.

There are some potential weak spots on the Toronto roster — but you can say as much about any team that doesn’t have Los Angeles or Atlanta scripted across it jersey. What’s more interesting is how the Blue Jays might respond to absences at each of their nine positions.

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Starting with the simplest fixes and working our way to the most challenging, let’s stress-test this position player group:

Positions with simple enough backup plans

Justin Turner, DH

Replacing Turner’s production? Not easy. He hit 23 home runs with an OPS+ of 114 last year. But replacing a DH in the lineup is never too hard. The Blue Jays would mix and match here with their catchers, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Daniel Vogelbach likely getting starts.

Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk, C

Losing either Kirk or Jansen would be extremely costly for the Blue Jays, but it’s pretty obvious what would happen if one of the catchers were to go down: the other would play considerably more, just as Kirk did last September after Jansen fractured a bone in his throwing hand.

A subsequent move would also be needed, with the defensively skilled Brian Serven described by some as a leading candidate to get the call if needed.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B

First base is where Turner played most often in 2023, so he’d likely be asked to contribute at times. But since keeping the 39-year-old Turner healthy is a priority, Cavan Biggio would likely start at first against some righties, and Spencer Horwitz would also be an option. In theory, Vogelbach’s an option — he continues to work out at first alongside Turner and Horwitz — but he’s barely played any defence in the last two seasons, a clear sign that the Mets and Brewers, at least, consider him a DH only.

Bo Bichette, SS

Obviously, there’s no substitute for Bichette’s talent, but it’s not too hard to see how the Blue Jays would respond here.

Santiago Espinal and Isiah Kiner-Falefa would likely share time at shortstop, and Ernie Clement could easily enter this mix, too. For now, Clement is ahead of prospect Leo Jimenez on the big-league depth chart, but Jimenez could push closer to the big-leagues before long.

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Positions without clear backup plans

Cavan Biggio, 2B

Biggio’s shoulder issues are progressing, but if he were to miss time early in the season, the Blue Jays would likely rely on a combination of players including Espinal, Davis Schneider and Eduardo Escobar. It’s too soon for Orelvis Martinez, but he could put himself in this conversation by the summer, and he’s already on the 40-man roster, making a call-up that much simpler (Addison Barger is another option, but he’s more focused on third and right field this spring).

George Springer, RF

This is a tough one. For now, any absence by Springer would likely be covered by committee. Something like Biggio against righties and Schneider against lefties, with Espinal and/or Escobar taking regular reps at second base.

It’s also possible Clement and even Escobar could help cover a corner outfield spot, as both are getting reps there this spring. Within a couple of months, outfield prospect Alan Roden would ideally be ready to cover regular at-bats.

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Daulton Varsho, LF

Replacing Varsho would look similar to replacing Springer, with one added wrinkle. The Blue Jays would also need to think about how to back up Kevin Kiermaier in centre field. Kiner-Falefa has played there before, but he is also needed on the infield, which could create opportunity for Nathan Lukes in a bench role.

Kevin Kiermaier, CF

Whenever Kiermaier was unavailable last year, Varsho covered centre field — and did so at an elite level on his way to 11 outs above average. But if Varsho is in centre, the Blue Jays would need someone — Biggio? Schneider? Escobar? — to cover left while also ensuring that they have someone available to back up Varsho just in case.

That could be Springer, who has started 400 career games in centre. And just in case? Kiner-Falefa still considers centre his best outfield position.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 3B

Ideally, Escobar would hit well enough to warrant regular at bats at third base, or someone like Espinal would time a hot streak well. Otherwise, this would be an especially tough position to fill without overexposing players or depleting depth at other positions (Barger, while promising, likely needs seasoning in the upper minors for now).

Turner could fill in for a bit, but it’s been three years since he played a defensive position full-time. And now that Matt Chapman is off the market, there’s no easy solution outside the organization.