"Having Lukes as a fourth outfielder puts the Blue Jays in a strong spot. He's everything the Blue Jays love in a hitter, Lukes makes contact, rarely strikes out, has some pop, and also defends well. That last part is important, because if the Blue Jays have Santander regularly playing in the outfield, they're going to need a defensive replacement when they have the lead late in the game."
"Last season, Lukes played 249 innings in left field, finishing with 4 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average. In centre field, he had -1 DRS and OAA in 214 innings. But nearly half his playing time was in right field, where he had 7 DRS and 4 OAA in 446.1 innings. Straw, obviously, is another option to come in as a defensive replacement, but the Jays sacrifice a lot of offence by bringing in the speedy defence-first outfielder."
The Blue Jays are pursuing a significant bat addition, with potential targets including Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, or Kyle Tucker. Nathan Lukes earned substantial playing time last season due to Anthony Santander's injury, appearing in 135 games and recording a .255/.323/.407 slash line with 12 home runs in 438 plate appearances. Assuming full health, Lukes is expected to move to a fourth outfielder role in 2026 regardless of acquisitions. Lukes can serve as a platoon option alongside Davis Schneider if the team does not sign a big bat. His defensive versatility and positive metrics in right field make him a valuable late-game defensive replacement.
Read at BlueJaysNation
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