TORONTO – Amidst a flurry of signings for bench players across MLB, The Toronto Blue Jays added to their infield mix Friday, re-signing Joe Panik to a minor-league deal, according to industry sources.
The move gives the Blue Jays insurance at second base, third base and shortstop, as Panik played at least 12 games at each of those three positions in 2020. If he makes the team, the 30-year-old would earn $1.85 million with another $400,000 available in incentives, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, who first reported the deal.
Defensively, Panik's most experienced at second base, where he won a Gold Glove in 2016, but he can also handle short and third if needed. Offensively, he's a contact hitter with a career strikeout rate of just 9.9 per cent – less than half of the league-wide strikeout rate during that period. He doesn't offer much power, though, and finished the 2020 season with an OPS of .640 (his career OPS is .714, while ZiPS forecasts a .688 mark in 2021).
At this stage, the Blue Jays’ projected infield consists of Bo Bichette at shortstop, Marcus Semien at second base, Cavan Biggio at third and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Rowdy Tellez at first. The presence of Panik insures against injury to Bichette, Semien or Biggio and also offers the Blue Jays an option for their bench (Jonathan Davis and Santiago Espinal have minor-league options remaining, which gives the Blue Jays flexibility).
In recent days, the market for bench bats has developed quickly with Marwin Gonzalez signing in Boston, Brock Holt going to Texas and Brad Miller reportedly nearing a deal with the Phillies. Those players could have been fits in Toronto to varying degrees, but free agency isn’t the only way the Blue Jays can improve their bench. The possibility of a trade for bench help still exists and the Pirates, with Colin Moran and Adam Frazier available, could be one team to watch.
In the meantime, the addition of Panik provides depth for a team sure to need it over the course of a long season.
