Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar suffered a left thumb sprain and was placed on the disabled list on Monday. It is uncertain when he will return to action.
Continue for updates.
Pillar Placed on 15-Day DL
Monday, Aug. 8
The Blue Jays announced the roster move, noting outfielder Darrell Ceciliani was recalled to take his place.
Pillar’s Absence Will Test Toronto’s OF Depth
This is a difficult injury for the Blue Jays to swallow, as Pillar had a breakout season in 2015 with career highs in home runs (12), RBI (56) and stolen bases (25). He provides occasional pop in an already loaded lineup, but he also helps set the table for the dangerous power hitters in the middle of the order with his speed and ability to take the extra base.
Thus far, he’s hitting .292 with seven home runs and 45 RBI in 2016.
His speed also allows him to cover plenty of ground in the outfield, which makes him particularly valuable on the defensive side. According to FanGraphs, Pillar was responsible for 22 total defensive runs saved above average in the outfield last season alone.
The silver lining for the Blue Jays is the fact they still have plenty of offensive firepower even without Pillar. The combination of Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion is arguably the best trio of power hitters in any lineup in the league, and Toronto led the majors in runs scored by a large margin (127) in 2015.
Yes, Pillar is a critical presence in the order because of his speed and ability to get on base (he posted a career-high .314 on-base percentage in 2015), but there are still enough offensive pieces in Toronto to challenge for a World Series without him.
Perhaps the biggest loss will be in the field, which means Ezequiel Carrera will likely have to shoulder some of the load with his glove.
It is unfair to expect Carrera (or anyone else) to replicate Pillar’s production, especially after the latter’s breakout season, but the replacement outfielder can at least sufficiently plug a hole for Toronto as it chases a championship.
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