One opening on the Toronto Blue Jays roster is centre field.

It was reported by numerous sources on Saturday morning that <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-daulton-varsho-to-start-the-season-on-the-injured-list">Daulton Varsho will start the season on the 10-day Injured List</a>. The question is, what can the Blue Jays do about it?
There are a handful of outfielders who have had a strong Spring Training and who remain on the Spring Training roster. Moreover, the Blue Jays could push a corner outfielder into centre field to give them even more options.
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Let’s take a look at who can replace Varsho for the time being!
<h2>Myles Straw</h2>
Acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians early in the off-season, Myles Straw has put in a good Spring Training. Through 32 plate appearances, the 30-year-old is slashing .414/.438/.586 with one home run with a 6.3 BB% and a 15.6 K% for a 165 wRC+.
It’s not the first time Straw has had a good Spring Training performance so you have to manage your expectations. However, if the Blue Jays want to replace Varsho’s strong defence, Straw may be the option to do just that.
In 4162.2 innings in centre field, Straw has posted 27 Defensive Runs Saved and 29 Outs Above Average. While Varsho usually puts those types of numbers up in a single season, Straw is still a strong defender with good speed and a bat that is lacking.
The Blue Jays would need to make a roster move to add Straw to the 40-man roster, whether that be designating a player for assignment or adding a player to the 60-day Injured List is yet to be known.
<h2>Steward Berroa</h2>
Steward Berroa has had a solid Spring Training and has experience playing centre field. Through 34 plate appearances, the 25-year-old is slashing .303/.324/.455 with one home run in 34 plate appearances, with a 2.9 BB% and a 26.5 K% for a 100 wRC+.
Unlike Straw, Berroa has far less experience in the big leagues, getting just 45 plate appearances with the Blue Jays in 2024, mostly after they sold at the trade deadline. Berroa has shown a bit more pop than Straw, hitting a career-high 10 home runs in Triple-A last season while stealing 34 bags in 42 attempts. He usually steals around 50 bases in a season.
Moreover, Berroa had solid defence last season, playing 107 innings in the outfield and posting 3 Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. But most of that time was spent in right field, where he played 76 innings.
Still, Berroa played centre field in the minor leagues and certainly has the speed to cover the range of the position. He’s also on the 40-man roster.
<h2>Nathan Lukes</h2>
The most likely option to fill centre field until Varsho is back is Nathan Lukes. He hasn’t had the greatest of Spring Trainings, slashing .206/.357/.353 with one home run in 42 plate appearances. With that being said, Lukes had a strong showing last season after the trade deadline, slashing 303/.371/.447 with one home run in 91 plate appearances.
Throughout his career in the minor leagues, he’s split time in all three outfields with solid defence and average speed. His best tool is his hit tool as he has regularly been able to hit for a high batting average with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.
It’s worth noting that <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/blue-jays">Fangraphs’ roster projection</a> has Lukes as the Blue Jays’ centre fielder for the time being.
<h2>Push George Springer to centre field</h2>
Those three outfielders are the three pure centre fielders who can fill the role but the option the Blue Jays should pursue is moving George Springer into centre field for the time being. He hasn’t played 10 innings at the position since 2022 but has played 3264 innings there in his big league career. 
Moving Springer to centre field opens up a ton of options for the Blue Jays. They have a lot of corner outfielders looking for playing time. <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/report-davis-schneider-and-tyler-heineman-set-to-make-the-blue-jays-opening-day-roster">Davis Schneider made the Opening Day roster</a> and can play left field, while Addison Barger has hit his way to a spot on the roster as well. Not just that, but Alan Roden has been one of the best Blue Jays’ hitters in Spring Training, posting a 225 wRC+. They could conceivably have all three players make the Opening Day roster.
This doesn’t even mention Joey Loperfido and Jonatan Clase, who were both cut from the major league Spring Training roster in recent days.
If Springer struggles with the bat to start the season while the new corner outfielder excels, the Jays can transition Springer into a fourth outfielder role.
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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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One opening on the Toronto Blue Jays roster is centre field.



It was reported by numerous sources on Saturday morning that <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-daulton-varsho-to-start-the-season-on-the-injured-list">Daulton Varsho will start the season on the 10-day Injured List</a>. The question is, what can the Blue Jays do about it?

There are a handful of outfielders who have had a strong Spring Training and who remain on the Spring Training roster. Moreover, the Blue Jays could push a corner outfielder into centre field to give them even more options.
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&nbsp;

Let’s take a look at who can replace Varsho for the time being!
<h2>Myles Straw</h2>
Acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians early in the off-season, Myles Straw has put in a good Spring Training. Through 32 plate appearances, the 30-year-old is slashing .414/.438/.586 with one home run with a 6.3 BB% and a 15.6 K% for a 165 wRC+.

It’s not the first time Straw has had a good Spring Training performance so you have to manage your expectations. However, if the Blue Jays want to replace Varsho’s strong defence, Straw may be the option to do just that.

In 4162.2 innings in centre field, Straw has posted 27 Defensive Runs Saved and 29 Outs Above Average. While Varsho usually puts those types of numbers up in a single season, Straw is still a strong defender with good speed and a bat that is lacking.

The Blue Jays would need to make a roster move to add Straw to the 40-man roster, whether that be designating a player for assignment or adding a player to the 60-day Injured List is yet to be known.
<h2>Steward Berroa</h2>
Steward Berroa has had a solid Spring Training and has experience playing centre field. Through 34 plate appearances, the 25-year-old is slashing .303/.324/.455 with one home run in 34 plate appearances, with a 2.9 BB% and a 26.5 K% for a 100 wRC+.

Unlike Straw, Berroa has far less experience in the big leagues, getting just 45 plate appearances with the Blue Jays in 2024, mostly after they sold at the trade deadline. Berroa has shown a bit more pop than Straw, hitting a career-high 10 home runs in Triple-A last season while stealing 34 bags in 42 attempts. He usually steals around 50 bases in a season.

Moreover, Berroa had solid defence last season, playing 107 innings in the outfield and posting 3 Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. But most of that time was spent in right field, where he played 76 innings.

Still, Berroa played centre field in the minor leagues and certainly has the speed to cover the range of the position. He’s also on the 40-man roster.
<h2>Nathan Lukes</h2>
The most likely option to fill centre field until Varsho is back is Nathan Lukes. He hasn’t had the greatest of Spring Trainings, slashing .206/.357/.353 with one home run in 42 plate appearances. With that being said, Lukes had a strong showing last season after the trade deadline, slashing 303/.371/.447 with one home run in 91 plate appearances.

Throughout his career in the minor leagues, he’s split time in all three outfields with solid defence and average speed. His best tool is his hit tool as he has regularly been able to hit for a high batting average with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

It’s worth noting that <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/blue-jays">Fangraphs’ roster projection</a> has Lukes as the Blue Jays’ centre fielder for the time being.
<h2>Push George Springer to centre field</h2>
Those three outfielders are the three pure centre fielders who can fill the role but the option the Blue Jays should pursue is moving George Springer into centre field for the time being. He hasn’t played 10 innings at the position since 2022 but has played 3264 innings there in his big league career. 

Moving Springer to centre field opens up a ton of options for the Blue Jays. They have a lot of corner outfielders looking for playing time. <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/report-davis-schneider-and-tyler-heineman-set-to-make-the-blue-jays-opening-day-roster">Davis Schneider made the Opening Day roster</a> and can play left field, while Addison Barger has hit his way to a spot on the roster as well. Not just that, but Alan Roden has been one of the best Blue Jays’ hitters in Spring Training, posting a 225 wRC+. They could conceivably have all three players make the Opening Day roster.

This doesn’t even mention Joey Loperfido and Jonatan Clase, who were both cut from the major league Spring Training roster in recent days.

If Springer struggles with the bat to start the season while the new corner outfielder excels, the Jays can transition Springer into a fourth outfielder role.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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