Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Back starting at shortstop
Rotowire
Jimenez is starting at shortstop and batting eighth Saturday against the Tigers.
The 23-year-old received four starts at shortstop heading into the All-Star break with Bo Bichette dealing with a calf strain, and Bichette is now on the injured list after he aggravated the injury Friday. Jimenez is likely to operate as Toronto's primary shortstop in the meantime, and he could have some fantasy utility since he's hit well in his first nine MLB games with a .348/.464/.435 slash line.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Filling in for banged-up Bichette
Rotowire
Jimenez will start at shortstop and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Jimenez will crack the lineup for the sixth time in seven contests and for the fourth game in a row as a replacement at shortstop for Bo Bichette (calf). The Blue Jays haven't yet placed Bichette on the injured list, and the team's decision thus far to eschew deactivating him implies optimism that he'll be ready to go coming out of the All-Star break. Since receiving his first big-league call-up July 2, Jimenez has gone 7-for-19 with a double, two walks, three runs and an RBI.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Called up by Blue Jays
Rotowire
Toronto recalled Jimenez from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
Jimenez will join the 26-man roster for the first time in his career, filling Isiah Kiner-Falefa's (knee) vacated spot. Jimenez should mix in at second base and potentially third base while Kiner-Falefa is on the IL. Jimenez is slashing .271/.416/.431 with seven homers with Buffalo this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Reaches Triple-A
Rotowire
Jimenez was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 29 after slashing .287/.372/.436 with eight home runs, eight steals and a 15.9 percent strikeout rate in 76 games for Double-A New Hampshire.
He is hitting .214 with no extra-base hits in five games since the promotion, but this has been a very successful year for Jimenez on the whole. The 22-year-old Panamanian middle infielder was added to the 40-man roster as Rule 5 draft protection back in 2021, but it wasn't until this year that he started hitting the ball with enough authority to potentially profile as more than a utility player.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Optioned to minors
Rotowire
The Blue Jays optioned Jimenez to their minor-league camp Monday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
One of the top low-level prospects in the Blue Jays' system, Jimenez was added to the 40-man roster over the winter despite likely being two years away from the majors. He's expected to open the 2022 campaign at High-A Vancouver after he impressed in his first taste of full-season ball at Low-A Dunedin in 2021, slashing .310/.512/.375 while striking out in only 14.5 percent of his 242 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Protected from Rule 5 draft
Rotowire
Jimenez was added to the Blue Jays' 40-man roster Friday.
The 20-year-old shortstop is good at everything except hitting for power. He hit .315/.517/.381 with 51 walks in 54 games at Low-A and logged a .438 OBP in the Arizona Fall League. Jimenez is still probably a couple years away from making his big-league debut.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Back in action at Low-A
Rotowire
Jimenez (undisclosed) returned from Low-A Dunedin's 7-day injured list Tuesday and finished 1-for-2 with a solo home run, three walks and two additional runs in the affiliate's 16-6 win over Palm Beach.
The 20-year-old infielder was out of commission for about a month and a half with the unspecified injury. Through 39 games on the season at Low-A, Jimenez is getting on base at a prolific .449 clip while striking out in only 13.6 percent of his plate appearances.
