The Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series with the Houston Astros tonight in rainy Toronto. Mark Buehrle starts the opener against lefty Brett Oberholtzer. It’s Brandon Morrow versus righty Lucas Harrell on Wednesday and Dustin McGowan against lefty Dallas Keuchel on Thursday.
—
I wrote about Jonathan Diaz’s long, meandering and unlikely path to the majors but a couple things that didn’t get into the piece are pretty interesting.
At five-foot-nine, he’s the second shortest shortstop in the major leagues – Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies is 5-8 – while at 155 pounds he’s the lightest active shortstop, per Stats Inc. Alexi Amarista of the Padres is the only lighter current player, at 150 pounds.
“Everyone’s got their little jokes and stuff, so I hear it but it doesn’t bother me. I don’t hear it as much as you’d expect,” Diaz said when I asked if he gets trash talked a lot. “There are a lot of infielders aren’t that tall. I’m lower to the ground already so I use that as a benefit.”
Here are the average sizes by position in the majors, also via Stats Inc.
Position – Height (inches) – Weight (pounds)
DH – 74.21 – 220.6
P – 74.51 – 214.2
C – 72.60 – 217.4
1B – 74.61 – 228.8
2B – 71.30 – 191.8
3B – 72.85 – 208.6
SS – 72.16 – 193.1
LF – 73.06 – 207.0
CF – 72.69 – 195.4
RF – 73.20 – 210.9
—
J.A. Happ is making a rehab start for triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, the same day Dustin McGowan is set to pitch in Toronto.