Blue Jays luckily keep OF Michael Saunders over offseason
During the past few seasons, the Toronto Blue Jays made a flurry of roster moves trying to end a long postseason dry spell.
The best deal might have been the one they did not make.
The Blue Jays had a deal in place to ship outfielder Michael Saunders to the Angels as part of a three-way trade with Cincinnati early in spring training. The deal - which would have brought outfielder Jay Bruce to Toronto - fell apart due to physical examinations involving prospects.
And good thing for the Blue Jays, because Saunders is having a career year.
Injury issues troubled Saunders the last few seasons, and knee problems limited him to nine games in 2015, when the Jays returned to the playoffs for the first time in 22 years. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound outfielder finally got healthy this season and, after last weekend’s series in Baltimore. Saunders had a .309 average with 15 homers and 32 RBI.
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The 29-year old banged out three homers and drove in eight runs in last Friday’s 13-3 rout. Saunders already is four homers away from tying his career high and remains on pace to pass his previous career bests in RBI (57) and batting average (.273).
And he’s played only 63 games.
“He’s a pure hitter,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said “He’s a big guy. He's got some easy power.”
Indeed, Saunders is physically imposing, but health woes dogged him over parts of six seasons in Seattle. After playing in just 78 games in 2014, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik shipped him to Toronto for J.A. Happ.
The injury problems continued when Saunders tore the meniscus in his left knee after stepping on some grass around a sprinkler head in spring training last year.
He underwent surgery in late February, and the Jays initially did not expect him to miss much time. In fact, Saunders returned to the lineup in late April.
He lasted just nine games - and returned to the disabled list with knee inflammation.
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Saunders did not play another game in 2015, but worked hard through the winter and came back to spring training this season healthy and excited. Then, the trade rumors began at the start of spring training. Saunders certainly heard them, yet appreciated how the Jays kept him informed.
“They realized that I’m human, and there’s a human aspect to this game as well, and we’re not just robots,” Saunders said. “So when I found out nothing was going on, I was really happy.”
That happiness came because Saunders dreamed about playing for the Blue Jays while growing up. A native of Victoria, B.C., Saunders considered Toronto his hometown team and wanted to play there at some point.
After finally feeling right physically this year, Saunders hoped to show the Blue Jays and their fans something.
“First and foremost, I (was) healthy,” Saunders said. “Going into this season, I felt like it was a redemption for me. I owed the fans and the organization. That’s just the way I felt. It really gave me that extra drive.”
He displayed all his tools in a recent series at Baltimore, as he blasted three home runs - two three-run homers and a two-run shot - to drive in eight runs. He showed his defense in Sunday’s loss, robbing J.J. Hardy of a home run with a leaping catch at the wall in left field.
With Jose Bautista on the disabled list, the uptick in production has been crucial. Saunders is batting .362 with six homers in June, during which the Blue Jays have won 11 of 18 to climb back into a crowded AL East fray.
“He’s finally gotten healthy,” says Orioles manager Buck Showalter. “He’s handling left-handed pitching, too. He’s doing a lot of good things for them.”
That non-trade just keeps looking better and better.
“Luckily, it did fall through, the way he’s played,” Gibbons said. “That’s one of those things (where)you’re glad it didn’t happen. Michael’s thrived all year for us.”
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