Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider informed Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and different reporters that designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach will probably be a part of Toronto’s Opening Day roster. Vogelbach will be part of Davis Schneider, Ernie Clement, and Brian Serven because the Jays’ bench combine to start the season.
As famous earlier with regard to Serven, Vogelbach may also need to be added to the Jays’ 40-man roster previous to their first sport on Thursday. Vogelbach signed a minor league deal final month that can pay the slugger $2MM in assured cash if he makes Toronto’s energetic roster, although Davidi suggests that the Jays may probably keep away from that full payout if Vogelbach agrees to a sophisticated consent. This could create a 45-day window whereby the Blue Jays may outright Vogelbach off their 40-man roster and owe him solely a prorated portion of that $2MM wage.
This contractual loophole may replicate Vogelbach’s standing as one thing of an understudy for Joey Votto, because it seemed like Votto’s arrival in Toronto on a minor league deal would possible spell the top of Vogelbach’s stint within the Jays’ camp. Nonetheless, it already appeared like Votto was going to want some additional tune-up time within the minor leagues as soon as Spring Coaching was over, and the previous NL MVP has additionally been hampered by a minor ankle damage that has restricted him to only one plate look (a house run) this spring.
This created a gap for Vogelbach to stay with the crew, and he helped his case by hitting .226/.314/.581 with three homers over 35 plate appearances in Grapefruit League play. Vogelbach doesn’t deliver a lot roster flexibility as a DH-only participant who is simply playable in opposition to right-handed pitching, but he has proven some strong pop in opposition to righties over his eight large league seasons. His left-handed bat can be notably useful on a closely right-handed Jays crew, as Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier, and Cavan Biggio are the one lefty-swingers on the Opening Day roster. (Nathan Lukes and Spencer Horwitz have been optioned to Triple-A.)
Vogelbach hit .233/.339/.404 with 13 homers over 319 PA with the Mets in 2023, and all however 16 of these plate appearances got here in opposition to right-handed pitchers. Over his profession, Vogelbach has a drastic set of splits — 74 dwelling runs and a .240/.362/.452 slash line in 1555 PA in opposition to righties, and a dismal .129/248/.215 slash in 323 PA in opposition to southpaws.