#middle-infield

#middle-infield

On the season Luke appeared in 91 games for the Stripers and hit a very respectable .272/.364/.340 in those games good for a 98 wRC+. With offense not really being his calling card, being able to tune in with a solid line while providing solid defense up the middle, Luke gave the Braves organization really good value despite the injury struggles. He rarely struck out (12% K%), walked at a good rate (12%), and found his MaxEV all the way up to 109 MPH.

He has been the everyday shortstop for the team for the past six-plus years, but a poor defensive season raises the question as to whether a move to second base makes more sense moving forward. Andres Gimenez looked great at shortstop towards the end of the year and into the playoffs, which could present a situation where the Jays look into moving Bichette to second or exploring other free agent options for the keystone.

Recreating the magic of a run to Game 7 of the World Series is never easy, but this is the task Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins faces this offseason. How do you improve a roster that came within two outs of winning it all? How do you build a team incrementally better to secure those final precious outs of the season? With plenty of players coming and going this offseason, it's an uphill battle for the Blue Jays to defend their honour as American League Champions, but they're hoping they can pull a 2014 Kansas City Royals and run it right back to the World Series after also losing in Game 7.