Toronto Blue Jays sign shortstop following Bo Bichette departure

The club's transactions page shows Flores was signed to a minor league contract on Thursday. That is the kind of move that slips past casual fans, but it matters inside an organization.

ESPN's transaction recap backs it up, grouping Flores with a wave of other minor league agreements from the same day. So this is not rumor chatter, it is a logged roster action.

What can we actually say right now without guessing. The Blue Jays have added another shortstop to their system, and the commitment level is the standard minor league deal, not a 40-man promise.

That still has a real impact, because shortstop is the position you never stop stocking. Injuries happen, prospects stall, and the big club always ends up needing one more glove that can handle the routine play.

I read this as the front office quietly admitting the middle infield is still a work in progress. Toronto is collecting options, because nobody wants to watch a contender scramble for a backup shortstop in May.

For Flores, the opportunity is straightforward even if the path is not. He gets coaching, a schedule, and a chance to climb, and the Jays get a player they can evaluate daily instead of on video.

This is also a smart way to spread risk. One minor league contract does not fix a roster, but ten small bets can create the next useful utility guy, trade piece, or emergency call-up.

My take is to keep doing these, and then nail the next bigger decision when it shows up.

After missing out on both Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker the Blue Jays are clearly in need of at least one solid bat before the end of the off-season.