The Toronto Blue Jays already employ an everyday shortstop in Bo Bichette, but that isn't keeping them from exploring other options at the position in free agency.
Toronto is showing interest in shortstop Andrelton Simmons, reports Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network.
Simmons has been one of baseball's best at the position since debuting in 2012 with the Atlanta Braves. The 31-year-old has accrued 191 defensive runs saved and won four Gold Gloves over his nine-year career.
His offense doesn't offer the same upside. Simmons has only posted an OPS+ over 100 three times and owns a career slash line of .269/.317/.379 with 67 home runs and 406 RBIs.
Simmons appeared in 30 games for the Los Angeles Angels in 2020 and posted a negative DRS for the first time, though he hit .297 and boasted the highest on-base percentage of his career.
He also missed time with an ankle injury before opting out of the final week of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.
Blue Jays shortstops combined to hit .250/.320/.358 with six homers and 42 RBIs in 2020. Most of that damage came from Bichette, though the 22-year-old missed nearly a month with a knee injury. Defensively, Toronto's shortstops ranked second-to-last in baseball with minus-39 defensive runs saved.
This isn't the first time that Toronto has been linked to Simmons. The Blue Jays reportedly checked in with the Angels about a potential trade last August.
