All Things: Randal Grichuk

During the 2020 season, Grichuk never really seemed to be a great fit. Hernandez and Gurriel Jr. seemed to be great young fits with the team, and appeared to be locks in the corner outfield spots. Grichuk however — the center fielder at the time — didn’t appear to have that same kind of appreciation, as he clearly wasn’t a good defensive option in center. Fast forward to the offseason, where the Jays acquired George Springer on the largest contract in Blue Jays history, and Grichuk was all but out of a spot.

With an obvious need for pitching, it looked like one of the outfielders would be on the block with Grichuk and Gurriel being most commonly heard in rumors. The team was in no hurry to make a move, and decided to give it time if they didn’t get an offer they liked. It seemed like an odd decision at the time, but given the injury situation surrounding Springer for the first 70 games or so, the decision to lay off making a trade began to look brilliant - especially given the new found production from Randal Grichuk.

Knowing he was potentially out of a roster spot once Springer returned, Grichuk took the opportunity to prove to the team that he was not the guy to move. He began the year looking like an absolute superstar, hitting the cover off the ball every chance he got. His average was over the .300 plateau, he was keeping up with Guerrero and Semien in the home run race, and it looked like he might even make the all-star game. The changes he made to his approach in 2020 continued to work for him early in the season, and he looked like a core piece of the lineup going forward. Unfortunately, that didn’t last.

One thing that most Jays fans have come to terms with over the years is that Grichuk is one of the streakiest hitters the league has ever seen. When he is hot, he is HOT. When he is cold though… Watch out, it’s miserable. In the first month and a half of the season, he looked like prime Miguel Cabrera out there. After that six or seven week span though, he fell from grace — as many have come to expect — and his numbers flattened right out.

In the month of June, Grichuk had only 24 hits in 104 at-bats, good for a .231 batting average in the month. Through his first four games in July he hasn’t been much better, going 3 for 15, hitting only .200. Grichuk’s season stats still look fairly strong, as he holds a .266/.294/.475 slash line with 16 home runs, but it’s clear that his initial season surge was responsible for much of that.

Other than his offensive inconsistencies, many fans dislike Grichuk due to his defensive liabilities. Well, that might be about to change.

While Grichuk has been far from being an asset in center the last couple years, he has actually managed to flip the script this season. Although he still may not be a great everyday centerfielder, he is very serviceable there as a replacement level player. Through 458.1 innings played in center, he holds -1 defensive run scored. Last year in 399.2 innings in center, he had -8 defensive runs scored. The improvement from him has been dramatic.

The even bigger surprise than Grichuk's improvement in center is his defensive production in right. Across 153.1 innings there, he already has 4 defensive runs saved. To compare, Hernandez has -1 drs across 403.1 innings in right. As well, the 2020 right field gold glove winner Joey Gallo had only 5 drs in right field across 633.2 innings.

As a center fielder, Grichuk has been able to hold ground. As a right fielder, he has actually been one of the best defenders in the league.

Now for the golden question: What comes next?

With Springer now healthy, the newly acquired Corey Dickerson set to return from the IL in the coming weeks, Jonathan Davis sitting on the bench, and Biggio getting more and more reps in the outfield, there is no longer a need to keep four starting caliber outfielders. A potential outfielder move has become more of a “when” than an “if” at this point.

Realistically, despite his inconsistencies, Grichuk is extremely likely to remain with the team as a right fielder. Gurriel has a history of injuries, which is never ideal for a contending team, especially in an injury riddled season. As well, his contract is harder to move, and the front office still takes pride in that extension, meaning he isn’t likely to be the guy to go. If Gurriel is the one booted out, Grichuk will undoubtedly take over right field, shifting Hernandez to left, as fans have seen many times in the late innings of games when Davis takes over in center. With such elite defensive numbers in right field as well, it is clearly his best position, and the best fit for the team. Whether or not Gurriel will be a Blue Jay in August is uncertain, but Grichuk’s spot is safe for now, and he will be with the team for the long haul.