<p style="font-weight: 400;">Toronto Blue Jays infielder/outfielder <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/addison-barger-becoming-increasingly-important-to-blue-jays-sustained-success">Addison Barger</a> has been turning heads over the past month-plus with his dynamic play, suiting up at third base and in right field.</p>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;">His hot bat and versatility have made him a lineup fixture since the start of May, but with the ability to play multiple positions and play them well, the question is where the muscle-bound phenom will be spending more time?</p>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;">The easy answer is to play Barger at third base and keep him there. After all, that is his natural position dating back to his time in the minor leagues, and he’s looked comfortable at the hot corner, making just three errors in 247.1 innings while often deploying a cannon-like right arm. But playing the former sixth-round draft at third base has more to do with his hitting acumen than his defensive skills, although it does bode well that he&#8217;s honed in on the errors this year.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">Barger has provided something that the Blue Jays sorely lacked: an exciting style of play and astonishing power. He’s hit all seven of his homers over the past 16 games, they’ve all been no-doubters, and, by no coincidence, the team is playing its best baseball of the season. More importantly, Barger has been providing that power from the left side of the plate. Manager John Schneider has employed a more balanced, platoon-style offense over the past few weeks, and Barger is a big reason why.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The snag AND the throw? </p>
<p>WOW, Addison Barger 👏 <a href="https://t.co/iSxJUm640f">pic.twitter.com/iSxJUm640f</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1931798639245996123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-blue-collar-mentality-team-win-games">Ernie Clement</a>, previously the primary third baseman for much of last season and the start of this year, has shifted over to second base in a timeshare when Andrés Giménez (who just returned from the IL recently) and Davis Schneider. Clement will continue to start occasionally against righties, like he did on Sunday, facing Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Clement&#8217;s splits suggest most of his playing time should come facing southpaws. The 29-year-old has hit .368 with eight doubles, three home runs, and a 1.089 OPS over 57 at-bats versus lefties compared to a .235 average, four doubles, zero homers, and a .530 OPS in 136 ABs against righties.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">So, it makes sense for Barger to receive the lion’s share of the playing time at third base and for Clement to fill in at the other infield spots. Barger has been in the lineup at right field three times in June, but he&#8217;s unlikely to be asked to play there much once Anthony Santander returns to the team. He or <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2025/6/7/24445065/jays-get-another-comeback-win">George Springer</a> is expected to play right field for most games, with the other at DH. Even if Springer slots in at DH, the Jays have Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes who can take the reps. It may not make for the best defensive alignment, but you can make the case that Springer should be the team’s everyday designated hitter. He’s hit nine of his team-high 10 home runs (over 81 At-bats) playing DH while hitting for a .911 OPS, compared to a .738 OPS (in 82 at-bats) while in rightfield.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">On Blue Jays Central on Sunday, Barger remarked that he preferred playing the outfield because of the relaxed nature of the position and that it gives him a chance to show off his mighty arm more. That was surprising, given how much more experience he has at third base. As much as Barger enjoys playing the outfield, he’s part of a crowded group that includes Springer, Lukes, Straw, Jonatan Clase, Alan Roden, Schneider, and Santander once he’s cleared to play. That picture will only get more muddled when Daulton Varsho returns from a hamstring strain, possibly later this month.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">His and Santander’s return would mean two players would be demoted to Buffalo (Clase and Roden are the most likely candidates as of this writing), and Varsho would resume being the Jays’ primary centerfielder. If the outfield consisted of Springer, Santander, Varsho, Straw, Lukes, and Schneider, it’s improbable that Barger would get any time there, as much as he enjoys it.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, he’ll have to settle for being the Blue Jays starting third baseman.</p>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;">Toronto Blue Jays infielder/outfielder <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/addison-barger-becoming-increasingly-important-to-blue-jays-sustained-success">Addison Barger</a> has been turning heads over the past month-plus with his dynamic play, suiting up at third base and in right field.</p>

<p style="font-weight: 400;">His hot bat and versatility have made him a lineup fixture since the start of May, but with the ability to play multiple positions and play them well, the question is where the muscle-bound phenom will be spending more time?</p>

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<p style="font-weight: 400;">The easy answer is to play Barger at third base and keep him there. After all, that is his natural position dating back to his time in the minor leagues, and he’s looked comfortable at the hot corner, making just three errors in 247.1 innings while often deploying a cannon-like right arm. But playing the former sixth-round draft at third base has more to do with his hitting acumen than his defensive skills, although it does bode well that he's honed in on the errors this year.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">Barger has provided something that the Blue Jays sorely lacked: an exciting style of play and astonishing power. He’s hit all seven of his homers over the past 16 games, they’ve all been no-doubters, and, by no coincidence, the team is playing its best baseball of the season. More importantly, Barger has been providing that power from the left side of the plate. Manager John Schneider has employed a more balanced, platoon-style offense over the past few weeks, and Barger is a big reason why.</p>
[embed]https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1931798639245996123[/embed]
<p style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-blue-collar-mentality-team-win-games">Ernie Clement</a>, previously the primary third baseman for much of last season and the start of this year, has shifted over to second base in a timeshare when Andrés Giménez (who just returned from the IL recently) and Davis Schneider. Clement will continue to start occasionally against righties, like he did on Sunday, facing Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Clement's splits suggest most of his playing time should come facing southpaws. The 29-year-old has hit .368 with eight doubles, three home runs, and a 1.089 OPS over 57 at-bats versus lefties compared to a .235 average, four doubles, zero homers, and a .530 OPS in 136 ABs against righties.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">So, it makes sense for Barger to receive the lion’s share of the playing time at third base and for Clement to fill in at the other infield spots. Barger has been in the lineup at right field three times in June, but he's unlikely to be asked to play there much once Anthony Santander returns to the team. He or <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2025/6/7/24445065/jays-get-another-comeback-win">George Springer</a> is expected to play right field for most games, with the other at DH. Even if Springer slots in at DH, the Jays have Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes who can take the reps. It may not make for the best defensive alignment, but you can make the case that Springer should be the team’s everyday designated hitter. He’s hit nine of his team-high 10 home runs (over 81 At-bats) playing DH while hitting for a .911 OPS, compared to a .738 OPS (in 82 at-bats) while in rightfield.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">On Blue Jays Central on Sunday, Barger remarked that he preferred playing the outfield because of the relaxed nature of the position and that it gives him a chance to show off his mighty arm more. That was surprising, given how much more experience he has at third base. As much as Barger enjoys playing the outfield, he’s part of a crowded group that includes Springer, Lukes, Straw, Jonatan Clase, Alan Roden, Schneider, and Santander once he’s cleared to play. That picture will only get more muddled when Daulton Varsho returns from a hamstring strain, possibly later this month.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">His and Santander’s return would mean two players would be demoted to Buffalo (Clase and Roden are the most likely candidates as of this writing), and Varsho would resume being the Jays’ primary centerfielder. If the outfield consisted of Springer, Santander, Varsho, Straw, Lukes, and Schneider, it’s improbable that Barger would get any time there, as much as he enjoys it.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, he’ll have to settle for being the Blue Jays starting third baseman.</p>


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Should the Blue Jays use Addison Barger more in the outfield or third base?

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