Blue Jays add another veteran bat, signing Brandon Belt to one-year deal

The Blue Jays’ lineup got a lot deeper and even more left-handed on Monday night with the signing of veteran first baseman Brandon Belt to a one-year contract.

Belt, who hit free agency after playing 12 seasons for the San Francisco Giants, will earn $9.3 million (U.S.) in 2023. His signing was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and has since been confirmed by the Star. It is expected to be officially announced by the Jays on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old Belt likely will become the Jays’ designated hitter whenever Alejandro Kirk is behind the plate. He’ll also back up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base and he gives the Jays a potential big bat off the bench, a luxury they haven’t experienced in recent years.

Belt has consistently been well-above average hitter since breaking into the league in 2011, but his performance went to another level from 2020-21. Across those two seasons, the native of Texas combined to put up MVP-like numbers with a .285 average, 38 homers, 89 RBIs and a .988 on-base plus slugging percentage in 148 games.

The problem is that injuries have prevented Belt from being a regular contributor each of the past two years. A variety of ailments limited him to 97 games in 2021 and one of them — a right knee issue — lingered throughout much of 2022 as well. After accepting an $18.4-million qualifying offer from the Giants, Belt went on to hit just .213 with a .676 OPS in 78 games last season.

Those numbers were well below Belt’s standards and his career .814 OPS. He has six seasons with at least 27 home runs on his résumé and while he hasn’t been an all-star since 2016, the recent uptick in production before his knee became a problem suggests Belt should still have something left to offer.

If Belt can find a way to stay healthy, the Jays might have a bargain on their hands. It’s a gamble but one they can afford considering the depth elsewhere on the roster. The Jays feature a number of versatile players in Whit Merrifield, Daulton Varsho and Cavan Biggio who can move around the field depending on who is playing on any given day. That means, unlike in San Francisco, Belt won’t be required to play the field every day.

The Jays’ top priority this off-season was improving the run prevention side of their roster. They accomplished that by signing right-hander Chris Bassitt to a $63-million deal, adding Kevin Kiermaier to the outfield and trading for reliever Erik Swanson.

Their second priority was putting together a more balanced lineup and that too has been achieved by trading for Varsho, signing Kiermaier and now adding the two-time World Series champion Belt. Last year, the Jays went long stretches without a single lefty in their lineup. With Biggio also due playing time, this season could feature four.

Belt’s $9.3-million salary is particularly noteworthy because it indicates the Jays intend on being a tax-paying team in 2023. According to FanGraph’s Roster Resource, the Jays are approximately $9 million over the $233-million competitive tax balance threshold, and they might not be done shopping quite yet. They could still use a right-handed hitting reserve outfielder, minor-league starting depth and additional help for the bullpen.

After disappointing endings to each of the last two seasons, it was predictable that the Jays were going to shake up their roster this winter. Changes were coming, the status quo wasn’t going to work, and yet even so, the extent to which general manager Ross Atkins has gone to overhaul his team has been a bit of a surprise.

Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ross Stripling are long gone. So too is top prospect Gabriel Moreno. None were to blame for the Jays’ early exits, but their departures still deemed necessary to create room for a new group of players and a fresh look for their roster.

In a couple months, we’ll begin to find out whether these changes were for the better. What’s already clear, though, is next year’s Jays won’t be as one-dimensional as they were before.

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