Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Andres Gimenez resting his battered body during the World Baseball Classic perfectly protects our massive infield investment but comes with some worries.
Seeing his name suddenly scratched from the Team Venezuela starting lineup definitely sent a massive shockwave of pure panic across Toronto yesterday.
We all held our collective breath when that terrifying wild pitch solidly drilled him in the batter's box yesterday.
International tournaments are completely thrilling to watch, but they always carry an immense underlying injury risk for established major league stars.
Our elite second baseman simply cannot afford to miss significant time this upcoming season after battling multiple brutal ailments last year.
Winner plays Korea in the quarterfinals, loser plays Japan
He struggled to find his consistent offensive rhythm last season, posting a .210 AVG with 7 HR and a .598 OPS.
But his platinum-caliber defensive instincts remain absolutely essential to our entire run prevention strategy on the dirt.
His flawless defensive range changes the entire game
Every single fan is hoping the medical staff is just playing it incredibly safe and the injury is not serious.
Team Venezuela still faces an intensely difficult path forward in this prestigious global tournament.
The eventual winner of this specific bracket group earns a highly anticipated quarterfinal matchup against a wildly talented Korean squad which is the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, the unfortunate loser will be forced into an absolute brutal survival matchup against the legendary Japanese powerhouse roster which Venezuela will be facing.
Gimenez naturally wants to help his passionate countrymen secure the absolute easiest path toward the championship round.
But the front office back in sunny Florida completely needs him healthy and perfectly dialed in for opening day.
Venezuela ended up bringing Gimenez in to pitch hit late in the game but he did not see much playing time which is why fans are still worried.
Taking a highly strategic physical break guarantees that nasty bruise heals completely without creating any lingering mechanical bad habits.
We desperately need his aggressive baserunning and spectacular diving stops to absolutely conquer the American League East this summer.
Expect him to return to the diamond completely refreshed and highly motivated when the major league games finally count.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
Toronto Blue Jays receive worrying MRI results for starting pitcher
Toronto Blue Jays receive worrying MRI results for starting pitcher
| POLL | ||
MARS 12|201 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays receive worrying news about Andres Gimenez Will Andres Gimenez bounce back to win another Gold Glove this season? | ||
| Yes | 173 | 86.1 % |
| No | 28 | 13.9 % |
| List of polls | ||