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Can the Blue Jays afford to keep running out Jesús Sánchez in left field?
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Kylie Tait
Aug 21, 2026, 13:30 EDTUpdated: Aug 21, 2026, 12:46 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays continued rolling against the Tampa Bay Rays, picking up their seventh straight series win (ignoring a makeup game against the Chicago Cubs). It was a big win for the Blue Jays in their playoff push, but also because the Rays have been a historically difficult opponent for the Blue Jays.
While there were plenty of positives to take from the series against the Rays, it also feels like a missed opportunity to sweep. The Blue Jays lost the second game against the Rays 7-6. The Blue Jays fell behind early after Jesús Sánchez lost a fly ball by Junior Caminero when it passed through the catwalk at Tropicana Field in the first inning. Yandy Díaz then hit a two-run home run to give the Rays a 2-0 lead.
Sánchez missed another fly ball in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, allowing two runs to score. By the time the inning ended, the Blue Jays trailed the Rays 7-1. They were able to make it close, but couldn’t escape the hole they’d found themselves in.
The game against the Rays was the latest in a recurring theme of defensive miscues from Sánchez. He has the worst Fielding Run Value (FRV) on the Blue Jays (-8) and the fourth-worst among qualified outfielders in MLB.
“I know I need to improve on my defence because I’m not used to playing left field, and I’m going to make the adjustment because I’m athletic enough to play the left field,” Sánchez told reporters before Thursday’s series finale. “I know I’m going to be there, and the next time I’m going to be better.”
Sánchez’s defensive struggles are confusing because it’s out of the norm for his career. He’s never been a Gold Glove candidate, but he’s historically been an average defender. His FRV had been between zero and one every season before 2026.
His range, which has typically been about average, dropped from the 40th percentile in 2025 to the fourth percentile in 2026. His arm value was ranked in the 69th percentile in 2025, but dropped to the 19th percentile in 2026. His arm strength is still rated similarly (80th percentile in 2025 vs. 75th percentile in 2026).
Sánchez missed the month of July with a left ankle sprain. However, that doesn’t explain his downturn in defence. Before his IL stint, he had a -7 FRV, so it’s not a result of the injury.
His defensive shortcomings would be easier for the Blue Jays to accept if he were making up for it offensively. That was sort of the case before his IL stint. He was slashing .274/.316/.437 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.
However, Sánchez has struggled offensively since he returned from the IL. He’s slashing .161/.333/.323 with one home run and four RBIs. His strikeout rate has risen from 22.2 per cent before his injury to 28.2 per cent. In the game against the Rays, Sánchez was 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, so he didn’t make up for his defensive errors with the bat.
Sánchez’s defensive downturn has been frustrating throughout the season, but it’s especially troubling at this stage of the season. The Blue Jays have fought their way back into the playoff race, but are in a tight battle with several teams for the final American League wild card spot.
Every game is critical for the Blue Jays for the rest of the season, so they can’t afford to lose games because of defensive miscues. That puts Sánchez’s spot in the lineup in question, especially since he’s not contributed a lot offensively either.
The issue for the Blue Jays is that they only have so many options for outfield depth. The most obvious choice is Myles Straw. He is one of the best defenders on the Blue Jays, but he has a much lower ceiling offensively. Straw is slashing .215/.270/.323 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. He has a 66 wRC+ compared to 107 wRC+ for Sánchez.
The other issue is that Straw will often fill in at centre field. Brett Bateman has been the regular centre fielder for the Blue Jays since he was called up. However, Bateman left Wednesday’s game against the Rays with a right hamstring injury. He did not play in Thursday’s series finale.
If Bateman’s injury is serious enough to miss more time, Straw will likely be the regular centre fielder for the Blue Jays. Daz Cameron filled in at left field for Thursday’s game against the Rays. Cameron has only played in three games with the Blue Jays since he was called up on August 15. He’s picked up hits in each game, including a 442-foot home run against the Rays. The early returns on Cameron have been promising, but it’s too soon to decide if he’s a viable replacement for Sánchez.
Sánchez’s defence has cost the Blue Jays in 2026, but he can still provide value for the Blue Jays. While he hasn’t been playing well offensively or defensively, he’s shown in the past that he is capable of being a productive player. At this stage of the schedule, the Blue Jays don’t have time to let Sánchez figure things out. In the meantime, Sánchez may be better suited to coming off the bench for the Blue Jays.
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