Blue Jays Veteran Sends Front Office Message With Brett Bateman Seizing His Job

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 10: Brett Bateman #21 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks connected during the crippled betwixt the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays astatine Rogers Centre connected Monday, August 10, 2026 successful Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Toronto Blue Jays person spent the 2nd half of the play oriented toward the near-term future, moreover while trying to support their postseason hopes alive.

That balancing enactment became evident aft the nine acquired outfielder Brett Bateman astatine the waste and acquisition deadline. The 23-year-old arrived arsenic a cardinal portion of the return for seasoned starter Kevin Gausman and instantly brought different intriguing protect action to Toronto’s outfield.

Bateman has gotten disconnected to a beardown commencement pinch the Blue Jays and he has emerged arsenic an intriguing portion for some the coming and future. But his presence could mean the extremity of the roadworthy for a seasoned teammate.

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Toronto Blue Jays Veteran Myles Straw Sends Clear Message After Brett Bateman Trade Addition

For Myles Straw, Bateman’s presence could person a important effect connected the early pinch 2 nine action years ahead, each worthy $8 million. The erstwhile Gold Glover is batting conscionable .222 this play and is now watching the young waste and acquisition summation make a lawsuit for a 4th outfielder domiciled aliases moreover an mundane halfway fielder.

“Bateman’s defence and speed, alone, should make him portion of the Jays’ 2027 outfield operation successful immoderate fashion,” Mitch Bannon wrote for The Athletic. “His floor, arsenic galore evaluators suggested astatine the deadline, is simply a big-league 4th outfielder. The existent mobility is whether Myles Straw will subordinate him.”

With a nine action up and his capacity astatine the sheet lacking, Straw indicated that he is alert that his early domiciled connected the squad is undecided erstwhile he offered a connection to the club’s determination makers.

“I want to beryllium capable to travel backmost present adjacent year,” Straw told Bannon. “However I’ve sewage to do that, to make personification happy up successful the beforehand agency to travel back, I’ll do that.”

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Straw could still beryllium a sound finance from the Blue Jays astatine $8 cardinal adjacent season, peculiarly if he shows immoderate betterment successful the batter’s container successful a last playoff push. But he could besides beryllium fighting a losing conflict if Bateman does the same, peculiarly pinch a discounted buyout value disposable connected his contract.

“The deficiency of popular is why astir scouting reports task Bateman arsenic a reserve. In different words, he mightiness go the replacement for Straw, who is now competing against him for playing clip but apt isn’t agelong for the Jays pinch an $8-million (U.S.) nine action that is definite to beryllium bought retired for $1.75 cardinal this off-season,” Gregor Chisholm reported for the Toronto Star.

For Straw, that appears to beryllium a situation that he wants the beforehand agency to cognize he is consenting to embrace.