Toronto Blue Jays: Bringing back Taijuan Walker would make sense
Taijuan Walker has expressed an interest in returning with the Toronto Blue Jays and that’s a move the team should be considering.
Going into the off-season, the Toronto Blue Jays have some items to check off their off-season shopping list and pitching is right at the top.
The team had to make some moves at the trade deadline to acquire some help in the rotation because of injuries and one that worked out quite well was Taijuan Walker. Now, with the off-season in focus, the Blue Jay’s have to decide who the team wants to potentially bring back from the 2020 roster.
When asked about whether or not he would consider Toronto as a potential landing spot, Walker made it known that he sees a fit with the team.
"“Look, the team is really good,” Walker told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “They’re going to be good for a long time, man. Right away I connected with everyone. I had a good time and, obviously, I had success there. Being in Buffalo, they did such a great job of making us comfortable in Buffalo and I heard that Toronto was 20 times better than that. So myself being in Buffalo, I can’t imagine what Toronto’s like.“They have really good staff, coaches, training staff,” he continued. “For me, it’s all about comfort and people. Being connected and having that family, and that’s what it felt like.”"
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The 28-year-old had a productive season with the Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners posting a 2.70 ERA and was one of the few pitchers capable of pitching into the seventh inning. It’s unlikely that Robbie Ray returns and Matt Shoemaker would be a nice option to have back as well.
Looking at how the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers relied on their pitching staff in the post-season, this is something the Blue Jays can’t make an afterthought. This season, Toronto saw some of its younger arms display their potential but not all of them will be ready to pitch in a 162 game regular season.
This is why a veteran like Walker would be an ideal target for the team along with some other options that we have brought up over the past few days. The other benefit is that the Blue Jays can try to get a deal done now unless Walker is set on testing the market which could prove to be unpredictable.
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Do you think the Blue Jays should bring Walker back next season? What is an ideal salary for him? Let us know in the comments below.