Andrés Giménez was put on earth to cause misery to major league hitters looking to sneak ground balls through the infield.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ usual three-time Gold Glove second baseman is now their shortstop, thanks to the injury to starter Bo Bichette. And although it’s only been five games since he made the transition, Giménez is already proving the new position is light work.
In just 44 innings of work, Giménez has racked up plus-3 outs above average at shortstop. Bichette, though he is a special hitter, was worth negative-13 OAA in his 139 games prior to injury.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 16: Andrés Giménez #0 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field…
TAMPA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 16: Andrés Giménez #0 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on September 16, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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Before Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Blue Jays manager John Schneider made a bold declaration about Giménez — but one that would be hard for anyone to dispute.
“I think he’s the best infielder in Major League Baseball, no matter where you put him,” Schneider said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
Giménez was also the Platinum Glove winner for the American League in 2023 to go with his three Gold Gloves. He’s going for a fourth in a row this season, and looks to be the favorite despite missing the better part of two months due to injuries.
The elephant in the room, of course, is that Giménez could very well be the team’s shortstop next season if Bichette signs elsewhere in free agency. Even if Bichette stays, Giménez’s defense is such an improvement that it might behoove Toronto to have a talk with its homegrown All-Star about switching positions to benefit the team.
Schneider even speculated that playing shortstop might help Giménez’s offense a bit, which is the obvious flaw in the 26-year-old’s game. He’s posted a .590 OPS
“He looks a little more engaged and it’s carrying over to his at-bats a little bit,” Schneider said, per Matheson. “You’re kind of the quarterback of the defense. He’s taken a step forward. We talked through it with him and made sure he was comfortable with it, which he was after just a day or two of ground balls.”
The Blue Jays obviously want Bichette back for the playoffs, but if there’s any silver lining, it’s that they’re getting a look at their potential shortstop of the future ahead of schedule.
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