Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes suffered what appears to be a moderate-to-severe ankle injury in tonight’s game against the Kansas City Royals. The injury, still un-diagnosed, could sideline him one to three months, according to the New York Daily News.
Reyes suffered the injury trying to steal a base in the sixth inning, when his left ankle rolled over the bag. Reyes immediately gasped and pulled his jersey over his head in pain.
It’s a rude welcome to the American league for the four-time All Star, and the setback will spell trouble for the new-look Blue Jays, who are already off to a 4-6 start.
Through ten games, Reyes was batting .395 with an on-base percentage of .465 as the lead-off man for the Blue Jays. His absence in the lineup will undoubtedly put Toronto into a predicament in the realm of run-production.
Last year with the Marlins, Reyes had a wins above replacement value of 4.2, second behind teammate Giancarlo Stanton who came in at 5.7. The 2012 Blue Jays WAR leader was Edwin Encarnacion (4.1), so in terms of sabermetrics, Reyes, had he been in a position to consistently produce this year, would have been a major improvement over the full-time shortstop for the 2012 Jays, (Yunel Escobar, 1.6).
The loss of Reyes is disheartening, but shouldn’t be devastating for Toronto. With their new depth in both offense and pitching, the upgraded team is well-balanced enough to make a run at the American League East, as they have been heavily expected to do.
Sabermetrics courtesy of FanGraphs
