Blue Jays pick up Curtis Granderson on one-year deal to shore up outfield

If the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to contend, they are hoping to do so on the cheap. The team managed to improve on the cheap Monday, inking veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson to a one-year, $5 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

On the surface, the deal doesn’t move the needle much. Granderson is 36, and coming off a season in which he hit .212/.323/.452, with 26 home runs, over 527 plate appearances. He ranked 86th on Jeff Passan’s annual free-agent rankings.

While Granderson’s batting average leaves a lot to be desired, most of his value has come from his power and patience over his career. He still displayed both of those attributes last season, walking in 13.5 percent of his plate appearances and crossing the 25 home run barrier for the third consecutive year.

He also fills a need in Toronto, while Kevin Pillar’s job is safe in center, the team has some question marks in the corners. Steve Pearce is currently slated to start in left. While he’s hit admirably in limited time, his defense isn’t ideal. Using Granderson to spell him should help.

The Blue Jays received surprisingly strong numbers from Teoscar Hernandez in right after picking him up in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year. The 25-year-old hit .261/.305/.602 in just 95 plate appearances with the club.

While those figures were impressive, it’s important to note that they occurred in a tiny sample. That’s not to say the Blue Jays found a way to make him a useful player, just that there’s some uncertainty about whether they can rely on last year’s numbers. Granderson gives Toronto a known quantity in case Hernandez isn’t ready, or falters early.

The Blue Jays haven’t spent a lot of money this offseason, but have made moves to quietly upgrade their club. The team also picked up infielder Yangervis Solarte in a deal with the San Diego Padres in January.

Those two players will help, but their acquisitions aren’t enough to lift the Blue Jays from 76 wins to the postseason. If Toronto is hoping to make it back to the playoffs, they’ll need Josh Donaldson and Aaron Sanchez to be healthy and playing back to the level that made them award contenders in the past.

Even if that doesn’t happen, Granderson could provide value to Toronto at the trade deadline. Much like last season, Granderson could be a coveted left-handed bat for a contender, especially if he can retain his pop in Toronto.

Ultimately, that’s Granderson’s role now. He’s probably best used as a fourth outfielder who can provide decent power against right-handers. And if he’s not on a contender, there’s always a market for that type of player at the deadline.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik