Blue Jays Interested In Jorge Soler
The Blue Jays have exhibited interest in free agent slugger Jorge Soler, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand says. Toronto joins the Mariners, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Nationals, and Marlins as clubs linked to Soler’s market at various stages this winter.
It isn’t any surprise that the Jays have joined the fray, as Toronto has apparently been looking into various free agent and trade options on the position-player side. With Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto now off the board, the Blue Jays’ signings have been confined to more defense-oriented pickups like Kevin Kiermaier and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, rather than any evident enhancements to what was a lackluster lineup in 2023. Speaking with the media earlier this week, GM Ross Atkins stated the Blue Jays would acquire potentially just one additional bat, “most likely be in the outfield or DH category.”
Soler matches that description, moreso as a designated hitter than as a possible regular in the outfield. Soler has made only 89 appearances in the outfield with the Marlins over the last two seasons, acting as a part-time left fielder in 2022 and then a part-time right fielder in 2023. Public defensive metrics have never liked Soler’s work in right field but he has been slightly closer to passable throughout his more limited sample of 875 career innings as a left fielder.
Since Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho are both left-handed batters, a situation exists where the right-handed hitting Soler may get some time in left field when a southpaw is on the mound, with one of Kiermaier/Varsho shifting to the bench and the other playing in the center field. As much as the Jays have prioritized defense over the last year, if Soler could match his 2022 left field numbers (-1 Defensive Runs Saved, -2 Outs Above Average, -2.5 UZR/150) with his strong offensive numbers from 2023, that’s probably a tradeoff the Blue Jays would be happy to accept, especially since Soler would still be spending more of his time as a DH.
Soler hit .250/.341/.512 with 36 home runs over 580 plate appearances for Miami last season, translating to a 126 wRC+. It was a good enough year for Soler to exercise the opt-out clause in his agreement, as he chose free agency and the potential of a better salary over the one year and $13MM remaining on his Marlins contract. Soler originally signed a three-year, $36MM agreement with the Fish in the 2021-22 offseason but slid to a 95 wRC+ during an injury-marred 2022 campaign.
Though greater health was a logical explanation for Soler’s bounceback year, it also continued the pattern of inconsistency that has distinguished Soler’s 10 Major League seasons. Breaking into the majors as a heavily-hyped prospect in the Cubs system, Soler has a 119 wRC+ across his career, helped by particularly impressive offensive showings in 2018, 2019 (when he led the AL with 48 homers), and last season. However, between his defensive showcomings and multiple other seasons where he has generated closer to league-average offense, Soler has only 7.4 fWAR to show for his 870 career games in the Show.
Perhaps the 2021 season is the best encapsulation of Soler’s roller-coaster nature and high ceiling, as he battled with the Royals before being moved to the Braves at the 2021 deadline. The switch was abruptly flipped, as Soler went on a tear after joining the Braves and earned World Series MVP honors as Atlanta captured the championship. Soler isn’t exactly a sure thing at the plate as he approaches his age-32 season, and MLB Trade Rumors’ forecast of a three-year, $45MM deal (Soler rated 16th on our list of the winter’s top 50 free agents) reflected this uncertainty about his offense, and his lack of defensive utility.
Still, with this relatively small price tag, Soler might be something of a bargain if he keeps hitting like he did in 2023, and the transfer out of capacious loanDepot Park might also benefit Soler’s efforts. As per Statcast’s Park Factor metrics, however, Toronto’s Rogers Centre was only slightly more hitter-friendly than loanDepot Park in 2023, which could deflect any combination of the Blue Jays’ lack of hitting, their strong pitching and defense, or some effects of the new outfield dimensions created by the Jays’ renovations to their ballpark.
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