With Anthony Gose and Colby Rasmus out of the picture, Kevin Pillar is suddenly facing the biggest opportunity of his big-league career.
The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder currently sits atop the team’s depth chart in centre field and will get a realistic shot at earning the job for opening day.
Barring a move by GM Alex Anthopoulos to bring in another centre fielder, Pillar and top prospect Dalton Pompey will enter Spring Training as the top candidates for the job.
“I know the general consensus is that with [Anthony] Gose leaving it turns over the keys to [Dalton] Pompey, but I’ve been an underdog before, I’ve been in a situation where people have counted me out my whole career,” Pillar told Sportsnet’s Barry Davis Monday in a phone interview.
Listen: Kevin Pillar with Barry Davis
“I’m going into Spring Training with the mindset that centre field is potentially a job that I can earn.”
After opting not to tender a qualifying offer to Rasmus, Gose emerged as the primary candidate to take over duties in centre. But following the trade last week that sent Gose to the Detroit Tigers for second base prospect Devon Travis, there is now “one less guy in the way” for Pillar.
The 25-year-old Pillar appeared in 53 games for the Blue Jays last season, hitting .267/.295/.397 with two home runs and seven RBI while contributing slightly above average defence at all three outfield positions (30 games in left, 16 in centre, seven in right). Despite having more big-league experience Pillar will face stiff competition from 21-year-old Pompey, who impressed in his short stint with the Jays at the end of the season and drew rave reviews from manager John Gibbons.
Knowing full well what’s at stake for him and the Blue Jays next season, Pillar has already reached out to one of the team’s leaders in search of advice for off-season preparation.
“I had a good conversation with [Jose] Bautista about two weeks ago, and I just wanted to pick his brain on off-season training and nutrition and when to pick up the bat,” Pillar said.
“I’ve been fairly successful in the way I’ve done things, but I understand this is the biggest opportunity I’ve had thus far. Going into Spring Training I realized there was a realistic opportunity to make the team and earn a starting position.”