Daulton Varsho will endure surgical procedure to restore a rotator cuff harm in his proper shoulder, he tells sportscaster Hazel Mae. Toronto supervisor John Schneider advised the Toronto beat that the Jays may have a clearer timeline as soon as Varsho completes the process, by way of Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Schneider didn’t rule out the chance that the rehab course of carries into subsequent 12 months’s spring coaching.
That brings an early finish to the outfielder’s second 12 months in Toronto. Varsho hit .214/.293/.407 with 18 homers, 21 doubles and 7 triples via 513 plate appearances. That’s league-average offensive manufacturing, by measure of wRC+, with Varsho’s energy serving to to offset the poor on-base mark. It’s a greater 12 months than he had in 2023, when he hit .220/.285/.389 regardless of offense being greater across the league than it has been this season.
Varsho could not recapture the 27-homer type that he confirmed throughout his remaining season with the Diamondbacks. He can nonetheless be a really productive participant even with league-average offense. The previous catcher has developed into one of many recreation’s premier defensive outfielders. Varsho had unbelievable marks for his 672 innings of heart area work and his 400-plus frames in left area. Statcast has him tied for second amongst outfielders (behind Washington’s Jacob Younger) in Outs Above Common. Defensive Runs Saved credited Varsho with an unbelievable 28 runs above common — not solely the most effective in MLB however 5 runs away from second-place Jarren Duran.
These defensive metrics ought to earn Varsho his first Gold Glove. He’ll go into subsequent season as Toronto’s on a regular basis heart fielder if he’s wholesome. Any sort of offseason setback might put that unsure, however for now, there’s no indication the Jays might want to look exterior the group for heart area assist.
Nathan Lukes, who has taken over in heart, seems to be like a stable fourth outfielder. He’d be an possibility to choose up some early-season begins if Varsho falls delayed. George Springer has loads of heart area expertise however he has performed solely one recreation there this season. As he enters his age-35 season, Springer appears firmly dedicated to proper area.
Varsho is below workforce management for one more two seasons. He made $5.65M in his second of 4 years of arbitration. He’ll doubtless land someplace within the $8M-$10M vary subsequent 12 months.
