logo
Former Blue Jay Danny Jansen signs a one-year deal with the Rays
Toronto Blue Jays Danny Jansen
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Dec 6, 2024, 13:30 ESTUpdated: Dec 6, 2024, 13:28 EST
Comments
Another former Toronto Blue Jay agreed to a deal.
On Friday afternoon, former Blue Jay catcher Danny Jansen signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jansen, 29, was selected in the 16th round of the 2013 draft by the Blue Jays out of high school. For parts of five minor league seasons, he rose to become a top 100 prospect in baseball, before making his Major League Baseball debut in 2018.
The catcher’s full-season debut came in 2019, where he slashed .207/.278/.360 with 13 home runs in 384 plate appearances, finishing as a finalist for the American League Gold Glove award for the position.
Fast forward to 2022, and Jansen was statistically the Blue Jays’ best hitter, a minimum of 200 plate appearances. That season, he slashed .260/.339/.516 with 15 home runs, a career-high at the time, in 248 plate appearances for a 141 wRC+ and a 2.7 fWAR.
Jansen was an above-average hitter in 2023 as well, as he slashed .228/.312/.474 with a career-best 17 home runs in 301 plate appearances for a 115 wRC+ and a 1.9 fWAR.
His 2024 season didn’t go nearly as well though, as he slashed .212/.303/.369 with six home runs in 228 plate appearances with the Jays. Before the trade deadline, he was traded to Toronto’s American League East division rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for Gilberto Batista, Cutter Coffey, and Eddinson Paulino.
With this contract, Jansen is betting on himself having a bounce-back year. His stats in Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field aren’t great, as he’s slashing .128/.242/.267 with three home runs in 99 plate appearances. However, the Rays won’t play at Tropicana Field this upcoming season as Hurricane Helene in late September destroyed its roof.
Either way, best of luck to Danny Jansen this upcoming season, even if he’s on the Blue Jays’ division rivals.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

Nation Gear Black Friday Sale

Black Friday is HERE, Nation Citizens! 🏒 Score 15% off all your favorites, including the brand-new “My City” Collection and fresh drops you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re gifting a die-hard fan or upgrading your own game-day fit, Nation Gear has you covered. Spend over $200, and enjoy free shipping, too! 🛍️ But hurry—this one-week-only deal is live now! Shop exclusively at nationgear.ca and make this holiday season unforgettable!

Featured

News

Breaking News