The Blue Jays introduced Tuesday that they’ve reinstated high prospect Orelvis Martinez from the restricted listing and optioned him to their spring coaching complicated. Daulton Varsho, who lately underwent shoulder surgical procedure, was moved to the 60-day injured listing to open a spot on the 40-man roster.
It’s a procedural transfer. Martinez was hit with an 80-game PED suspension earlier this season and has accomplished that prolonged ban. Varsho’s season is clearly over, so shifting him to the 60-day injured listing creates roster area within the short-term whereas kicking the extra urgent selections concerning 40-man openings down the street a bit. Varsho, Will Wagner, Alek Manoah and Jordan Romano will all should be reinstated from the 60-day IL at first of the offseason. Ryan Yarbrough reaching free company will open one spot, however the Jays might want to open a trio of different spots, which can seemingly be achieved by outrighting some fringe gamers.
Martinez, 22, appeared in only one major-league recreation earlier than his suspension was handed down. He’s lengthy rated amongst not simply the highest prospects in Toronto’s system however in the whole sport. He posted a .267/.346/.523 slash in Triple-A this season earlier than being known as up — numbers that align neatly with the .263/.340/.507 line he put up in a half season of Triple-A video games in 2023.
The 2024 season ought to have marked a chance for Martinez to determine himself as a key piece of the Jays’ future. Toronto traded veterans like Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner on the deadline. Shortstop Bo Bichette has endured three completely different IL stints and can end the season with solely 81 video games performed. As an alternative, Martinez watched idly after testing constructive for a banned substance, creating questions on his future each as a result of he couldn’t seize the alternatives that might’ve in any other case offered themselves and since PED bans naturally set off questions in regards to the legitimacy of prior efficiency.
Because it stands, the Jays will head into the 2025 season with Bichette, Wagner, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger and Leo Jimenez within the combine for infield reps. There’s been some hypothesis a few potential commerce of Bichette, however all indications are that Toronto desires to take one other stab at contending in 2025. Bichette would presumably be a big a part of that effort, and promoting low on him could be robust for the entrance workplace, anyhow. Clement has had a powerful season, significantly with the glove, however none of these infielders have performed so properly that they’d stand as a agency obstacle to Martinez within the occasion that the highest prospect forces his approach into the combination. He’ll must earn a glance subsequent 12 months, significantly after sitting half the present season on the sidelines for disciplinary causes, however the unsettled infield combine ought to create some alternatives — even when the Jays are seemingly to herald some veteran assist over the winter.
