Tyler Heineman still has enough value that John Schneider and the Blue Jays should try to trade him before they even think about a DFA.
The roster squeeze is obvious. Alejandro Kirk is working his way back from a fractured left thumb, Brandon Valenzuela already got his shot when Kirk went down, and Toronto is getting closer to another catching decision.
On pure production, Heineman has not helped his case. He is hitting .158 with a .358 OPS in 57 at-bats, and over his last 15 games he has gone 3-for-40.
That is exactly why some people jump straight to DFA talk. But that would be too clean, too easy, and probably too wasteful for a club that still needs to squeeze value out of the edges of the roster.
Heineman is still a big-league catcher with experience, and that alone carries weight around the league. Catching depth dries up fast, especially for clubs that lose a backup or need someone who can step into a staff without much runway.
He also is not on some bloated deal that makes him impossible to move. Heineman is playing on a 1-year, $1,237,500 contract, which is the kind of money another team can absorb without much debate.
Toronto should try to cash out before the roster crunch hits
That is the smarter play for the Blue Jays. If Kirk is getting closer and Valenzuela keeps looking like the more interesting backup option, Toronto should be calling around now instead of waiting until the move becomes obvious to everyone.
A trade is not bringing back a premium prospect. That is not the point. The point is getting something instead of nothing from a player who still checks a box for other teams. A low-level arm, a depth infielder, or even cash value beats losing him on waivers for free.
There is also some recent proof that Heineman can be more useful than this current line shows. MLB.com projected him as Toronto's steady backup catcher entering the season, and that reputation still matters even during a bad stretch at the plate.
Toronto's front office should be realistic here. Heineman's bat is cold, and that hurts his leverage. But switch-hitting catchers with major-league time still get attention because the position is always short on reliable options.
That is why a trade makes more sense than a straight DFA. The Blue Jays may be ready to move on from Tyler Heineman's role, but they still should not move on from his value. It may not be huge, but it is still worth trying to flip into something useful before the roster clock runs out.
Should the Blue Jays try to trade Tyler Heineman before Alejandro Kirk returns?
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