The Blue Jays made a fairly predictable move when they designated Daz Cameron for assignment. What it did, though, was put an even brighter spotlight on the decision to pass on Luis Robert Jr.
Cameron’s time in Toronto barely got off the ground. The 29-year-old right-handed bat showed up in eight games, logged 25 plate appearances and collected five hits, one of them a loud homer.
But the rest of the line told the story too. He struck out 28 per cent of the time, never drew a walk and was never going to be more than a short-term patch in the outfield.
That’s where Robert comes back into focus. Toronto reportedly held waiver priority over the Baltimore Orioles, who ended up claiming Robert from the New York Mets. In other words, the Blue Jays had a shot at a former All-Star and the chance to keep a direct wild-card rival from getting better at the same time.
Robert has not looked like the 2023 version of himself this season, and the numbers make that clear. He entered this week hitting .223/.303/.399 with a .702 OPS, 10 home runs, 23 RBI and a 96 wRC+. He also missed a chunk of time because of a back injury, and his overall trajectory has been sliding for a while now.
Still, the case for Toronto was never built on Robert being a savior. It was about upside, athleticism and the possibility of a meaningful boost at a position where the Blue Jays have been cycling through options. He would have raised the floor, and his recent bat would have made him a worthwhile September gamble.
There’s also the defensive side. Robert still brings real center-field ability, along with above-average athleticism.
FanGraphs had him at 32 outs above average and 32 fielding runs above average entering this stretch. He also grades well in speed and arm strength, which gives him more value than a bench bat who only hits one way.
The bat has shown up lately, too. In August, Robert hit .267/.321/.520 with six home runs and a 128 wRC+. That would have put him near the top of Toronto’s lineup for the month, behind only Alejandro Kirk and George Springer among the regulars getting everyday run.
And that’s part of why the Cameron DFA stings a little more. The Blue Jays’ outfield situation has been shaky all season.
Myles Straw has filled a role, but he hasn’t been a middle-of-the-order answer. Jesús Sánchez has gotten on base, yet the power the club wanted has been thin; he has eight home runs on the year and only two since May 27.
Cameron, meanwhile, was always a depth piece whose fit could vanish quickly. Sean Keys adds some offensive intrigue, but his defensive home is still unsettled. He’s mostly been a third baseman and first baseman in the minors, with only a few outfield reps, and his position remains an open question after recent work out there.
The bat has been real. After being sent down following his first call-up earlier in the season, Keys hit .314/.432/.570 with a 1.003 OPS and seven home runs in 33 games.
Those numbers demand attention. The problem is finding a place for him on the field.
What makes the Robert decision hit hardest is who got him. Baltimore claimed him while sitting right in Toronto’s wild-card race.
The Orioles, like the Blue Jays, needed a right-handed outfield bat with upside and some defensive credibility. They found one.
Toronto let him go by.
After a 6-1 loss to Cleveland on Tuesday, the Blue Jays are 68-71 and 2.5 games back of the Guardians for the final wild-card spot, with Baltimore also still in the mix.
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