Blue Jays Roster Decisions: Miles, Lee, Schneider & Jimenez Battle for Opening Day Spots

DUNEDIN, Fla. – The Toronto Blue Jays concluded their spring training schedule Monday with an unconventional intrasquad game at TD Ballpark, a final tune-up before heading north for workouts ahead of Friday’s season opener against the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre.

The exhibition featured modified rules, including innings of one and four outs, a non-sequential batting order, and strategically placed baserunners, designed to provide individualized work for players and evaluate specific scenarios. Manager John Schneider, recently signed to a two-year contract extension, described the exercise as “quirky” but valuable for observing “little detailed things”.

With the team departing Florida, several roster decisions remain outstanding. The final bullpen spot is a competition between Rule 5 draft pick Spencer Miles and side-arming reliever Chase Lee, who has the option of being sent to triple-A Buffalo. The last bench position is contested between incumbent Davis Schneider, who retains options, and Leo Jimenez, who does not.

General Manager Ross Atkins indicated the Blue Jays are carefully considering all options, stating, “when we have time, we like to use it” and acknowledging “there’s always the potential of more information coming into the fold.” All four players – Miles, Lee, Davis Schneider, and Jimenez – traveled to Toronto with the team, leading to a period of uncertainty, according to Schneider.

The Blue Jays’ bench composition is influenced by their overall roster depth. Schneider noted the team “probably have a little bit more depth in the outfield than you do the infield,” a factor in evaluating Jimenez and Davis Schneider. If Jimenez is not selected for the major league roster, he would be subject to waivers, potentially leading to his claim by another team. Prospect Josh Kasevich would then become the next infield option, though the team values having a backup with major league experience in case of injury to Ernie Clement or Andres Gimenez.

Schneider outlined potential roles for each bench candidate, envisioning Davis Schneider in a similar capacity to previous seasons, while Leo Jimenez would likely be targeted for matchups against left-handed starting pitchers.

The bullpen decision presents a different set of considerations. Chase Lee offers a more predictable option, particularly suited for multi-inning relief appearances. However, Spencer Miles’s high-velocity pitching presents an intriguing upside, despite his limited professional experience – only 10 minor league games over the past four seasons due to injury. The Blue Jays are evaluating Miles’s ability to recover between outings, a key factor in determining his role.

Several players will join the team later this week. Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer are expected to arrive after completing tune-up outings in Florida. However, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, and Shane Bieber will begin the season on the injured list.

Eric Lauer, scheduled to pitch the series finale against the Athletics on Sunday, expressed satisfaction with his progress during spring training, particularly with his changeup, which he intends to utilize more frequently this season, aiming to increase its usage from eight to 10-15 percent of his pitches.

Kazuma Okamoto is expected to serve as the primary first baseman on days Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Plays designated hitter, with Ernie Clement as a potential backup. Nathan Lukes received confirmation of his roster spot mid-table-tennis-game, a welcome change from previous years of uncertainty. Manager Schneider indicated a clear path for both Lukes and Jesus Sanchez to contribute, with Sanchez likely to face right-handed pitchers.

Schneider credited first-year major league field coordinator Eric Duncan with managing the spring training schedule and highlighted Brendon Little (reliever), Max Scherzer (starter), and Kazuma Okamoto (position player) as standouts during camp. He jokingly deferred praise for Daulton Varsho, who posted a .380 batting average with five home runs, suggesting he needed to maintain motivation throughout the season.