Toronto Blue Jays Sign Another DH

After starting the off-season making a potential $700 million offer to Shohei Ohtani, the Toronto Blue Jays have seemed afraid to offer anybody any money ever since. Their latest free agent signing is another low-cost bit player who may or may not help on a limited basis.

Daniel Vogelbach goes to the Blue Jays pic.twitter.com/InJUuiZJX4

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 17, 2024

Insider Jon Heyman reported Saturday morning that it’s a $2 million deal for Daniel Vogelbach, if he sticks with the major league club.

The curious move gives the Blue Jays a potential eight players on the roster who could rotate through the DH spot: Justin Turner, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero, Isaiah Kiner-Filefa, Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, and Craig Biggio.

The 6-foot, 270-pound Vogelbach will presumably only be used as a DH or pinch-hitting option vs. right-handed pitching. As noted by Toronto beat writer Ben Nicholson-Smith, in 2023, the New York Mets used him almost exclusively against righties, and he posted a .780 OPS against them, with a career .814 OPS vs. RHP. 

Vogelbach isn’t known for his athleticism, to say the least, and hasn’t played a single inning in the field in four of the past six MLB seasons, and none since three years ago (and that was only 5 innings). Naturally, the more cynical contingent of Jays followers are ridiculing the signing of the.. ahem.. hefty DH.

Asking Vladdy, Kirk, and Manoah to come into camp in better shape and then signing Daniel Vogelbach is pure comedy.

— VOT6 (@ViewsOnThe6) February 17, 2024

Blue Jays team plane trying to take off with Vlad, Manoah, Kirk and Vogelbach on board pic.twitter.com/3S0EJ2Moar

— Hoodie Maybin (@HoodieMaybin) February 17, 2024

(Note: the comedic views indicated in the above are those of the posters, and not necessarily condoned by Baseball Rumors.)

This is Vogelbach’s second go-round in Toronto, as he was with the Jays in the shortened 2020 season for a grand total of two games and four at-bats.

Across eight seasons, the 31-year-old has a total of 80 home runs in just over 1500 at-bats, with an ability to draw walks, as he sports an impressive .342 on-base percentage and an OPS+ of 108.

Photo: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports