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Position by Position: Blue Jays need a slugger to protect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the lineup

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Of any position, first base was the strongest for the Blue Jays last season.

This is an off-season series, looking at the current Jays’ depth for starting pitching, their bullpen, the first base/designated hitter spot, outfielders, infielders, and catchers. In this article, we’ll look at Toronto’s first basemen and designated hitters, as well as some potential depth pieces for the future.

Let’s dig in!

Some stats

This season, the Blue Jays’ first basemen slashed .309/.388/.512 with 27 home runs for a 155 wRC+, first in the league. Overall, the Blue Jays first basemen accumulated 5.1 fWAR, second in MLB only behind the Philadelphia Phillies’ 5.4 fWAR. It’s worth that while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit 30 home runs alone, this only accounts for his stats at first base. 

For the second season in a row, the Blue Jays had a proper designated hitter, as they signed Justin Turner to a one-year deal before the season. However, unlike Brandon Belt in 2023, Turner was traded before the trade deadline with the Blue Jays reverting back to their rotating designated hitter.

Overall, their designated hitters slashed .252/.344/.406 with 19 home runs, the eighth-fewest in the league. Still, they accumulated 1.3 fWAR, good enough for 12th in the league while their 117 wRC+ ranked 11th in the league.

Looking at the 1B/DH on the 40-man roster

As it stands, the Blue Jays don’t have a pure designated hitter like they’ve had the past two seasons in Brandon Belt or Justin Turner. That may change in free agency as they need more power in their lineup, but we’ll solely look at first basemen on the 40-man roster in this section.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

One question coming into the season was whether or not Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could find the MVP-calibre form he had in 2021. The 2022 season was good, but not great, while his 2023 season was disappointing, to say the least.

Well, Guerrero Jr. answered all questions in 2024, as the first baseman slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs in 697 plate appearances, along with a 10.3 BB% and a 13.8 K%. More importantly, his wRC+ of 165 was just slightly below his 166 wRC+ in 2021, while his fWAR of 5.5 was the second-best of his career.

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The Blue Jays have a long shopping list this off-season, but arguably nothing more important than signing Guerrero Jr. long-term. His final season of arbitration is coming in 2025 and will become a free agent at the end of the year. Re-sign him, please.

Spencer Horwitz

On June 7, the Blue Jays had a 30-33 record, three games behind the final Wild Card Spot with a -44 run differential. Although they couldn’t overcome the rough start to the season, Spencer Horwitz’s emergence was a positive sign.

Making his season debut on June 8, Horwitz finished the season slashing .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs in 381 plate appearances, giving him a 127 wRC+. The 26-year-old spent the season split between second base and first base, but eventually moved into a first base/designated hitter role towards the end of the season.

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There’s a legitimate possibility that the left-handed batter will finish as a nominee for the American League Rookie of the Year, as his 127 wRC+ ranked second among qualified rookies in the AL.

Depth

So what if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. departs for free agency at the conclusion of the 2025 season, who do the Blue Jays have in their system? Well, let’s take a look at a few names to keep an eye on.

Damiano Palemgiani

After a terrific 2023 season between Double-A and Triple-A, Damiano Palmegiani had a mixed bag of a season. On one hand, he led the system with 21 home runs, the first player not named Orelvis Martinez to do so since 2019.

However, his first full season in Triple-A Buffalo wasn’t great, finishing the season slashing .210/.311/.381 with 19 home runs in 501 plate appearances for an 82 wRC+. Still, the power potential is exciting, especially if he can regain the form he had in 2023.

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The Blue Jays will have a decision to make about Palmegiani, as he is Rule 5 eligible for the first time in his professional career.

Rainer Nuñez

Rainer Nuñez has had some ups and downs throughout his career. In 2022, he won the Florida State League batting title, as well as the Dominican Winter League Rookie of the Year (while hitting the most home runs in the league). However, Nuñez struggled in 2023 after spending most of the season in Double-A.

Well, the 23-year-old repeated the level and had a good season, slashing .275/.349/.416 with 12 home runs in 433 plate appearances, along with a 10.2 BB% and a 20.1 K%. The strikeout rate is the most important, as he had a rather high 27 K% the season prior while owning a 6.4 BB%.

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Like Palmegiani, Nuñez is Rule 5 eligible, meaning the Jays would have to add him to the Rule 5 roster or risk exposing him to other teams.

Peyton Williams

Unlike Palmegiani and Nuñez, Peyton Williams is a few more seasons away from being ready, as he hasn’t even reached Double-A yet.

With that being said, the power is immense, as the 24-year-old stands at 6’5”, 255 lbs, smacking 11 home runs in 334 plate appearances last season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians. Moreover, he slashed .289/.362/.476 for a 133 wRC+.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.