Blue Jays to acquire Andrés Giménez in trade with Guardians
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Photo credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Thomas Hall
Dec 10, 2024, 18:13 ESTUpdated: Dec 10, 2024, 19:33 EST
The Toronto Blue Jays are making moves.
Fresh off bringing back right-hander Yimi García on a two-year, $15-million contract, it appears the franchise is making another acquisition at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Blue Jays are in the process of acquiring infielder Andrés Giménez in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. The 26-year-old is a glove-first middle infielder signed to a seven-year, $106.5-million contract with a 2030 club option.
Toronto is also receiving right-handed reliever Nick Sandlin from Cleveland, sending first baseman Spencer Horwitz and outfield prospect Nick Mitchell in return, according to multiple reports.
Giménez, acquired in the 2021 Francisco Lindor blockbuster from the New York Mets, is a three-time Gold Glove winner and was an All-Star in ’22. He was also named the American League Platinum Glove winner in ’23.
Defensively, Giménez is as good as they come. Since his breakout ’22 performance, he leads all major league second basemen in defensive runs saved (59), outs above average (49) and fielding run value (37).
The former Guardians infielder also comes with plenty of defensive versatility, featuring prior experience at shortstop and third base. His arrival also adds immense quickness to the Blue Jays’ roster, as he ranked in the 90th percentile or higher in sprint speed in each of his first four big-league seasons and still placed in the 89th percentile last season.
As skilled as Giménez is in the field, he’s struggled mightily at the plate over the last two seasons. In that span, he’s slashed .252/.306/.368 with a 90 wRC+ (100 league average) while posting 24 home runs and 125 RBIs across 305 games.
Despite those offensive woes, the left-handed-hitting infielder has been worth a combined 6.6 fWAR since 2023 — tied with San Diego’s Xander Bogaerts for seventh-highest among big-league second basemen.
With shortstop Bo Bichette slated to hit free agency this time next year, acquiring Giménez provides Toronto with an immediate replacement if the franchise cornerstone were to depart. But, as it pertains to next season, the front office will need to make further moves to improve an offence that’s underperformed over the last two campaigns.