Blue Jays improve infield depth by acquiring Aledmys Diaz from Cardinals

Jenn Smith

Blue Jays improve infield depth by acquiring Aledmys Diaz from Cardinals image

During his post-season press conference with local media, Blue Jays’ General Manager Ross Atkins identified the acquisition of a versatile middle infielder as a top priority for this off-season, recognizing the need to add depth as insurance against the loss of oft-injured Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis. He reiterated this sentiment at the GM meetings in Florida last month and again on the At the Letters podcast with Ben Nicholson-Smith and Arden Zwelling.

On Friday night, the Blue Jays filled the stated infield void, acquiring Aledmys Diaz from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for low-A outfield prospect J.B. Woodman, a former second-round draft pick.

Diaz, 27, was an all-star during his rookie campaign in 2016, during which he hit .300/.369/.510 with an OPS of .879 and 17 home runs with a 2.7 WAR in 460 plate appearances. He earned a top-five finish in rookie of the year voting that season.

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However, Diaz regressed in 2017, slashing .259/.290/.392 with seven home runs and a WAR of 0.2 in just 79 games with the Cardinals. Demoted to triple-A, Diaz put up similar numbers in the minors. He became expendable with the emergence last season of Paul DeJong, who batted .285 and hit 25 home runs for the Cardinals.

Still, this is a sensible deal for the Blue Jays. Diaz provides an upgrade over Ryan Goins, who was non-tendered by Toronto earlier on Friday. Under control through the 2022 season and owed roughly $2 million per season, Diaz also provides controllable depth at a very reasonable cost.

Although Diaz is not known for his defensive skills, he is a capable infielder who provides a great deal of offensive upside over Goins. Despite having a down season last year, Diaz still posted a wRC+ of 78 0.2 WAR in comparison to Goins’ 69. He strikes out less and gets on base more often than Goins while also providing greater speed.

Goins, 29, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB draft and made his major-league debut in 2013. Known for his defensive skills, Goins is a sub-par offensive player. Long-term injuries to both Tulowitzki and Travis last season resulted in Goins receiving 459 plate appearances, during which he hit a paltry .237/.286/.356 with an OPS of .643 and a WAR of -0.3.

The decision to non-tender Goins means that he is now a free agent.

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If Diaz provides offensive production anywhere close to his rookie season, he fits nicely into the starting lineup. Even if he instead hits as he did last season, he still provides more value at the plate than Goins and will provide better middle infield depth than the Jays had recently.

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That depth is critical considering the 33-year-old Tulowitski appeared in only 66 games in 2017 and has not played in more than 131 games since 2011. Injury limited to Travis to only 50 games played last season.

With the acquisition of Diaz, the Jays addressed their top off-season priority. It is unnecessary at this point for the front office to seek out other utility middle infielders such as free agent Eduardo Núñez or trade candidate Jurickson Profar. With this need filled and essentially a net zero gain of salary, the Jays can turn their attention to addressing other holes – namely landing a fifth starter and adding outfield depth. 

Jenn Smith