Jose Reyes Due Back Any Day: Does He Have Competition in Kawasaki

Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes’ minor league rehab assignment is coming to an end, which sounds like great news for the Jays, as Reyes is one of the better players on the team, and one of the best shortstops in the league.

Prior to injuring his ankle on April 12th, Reyes was on fire, with a .465 on base percentage in 10 games. He was obviously due for regression, but he looked to be a force at the top of their lineup.

But the feelings towards his return have not been as positive as you might expect. Everyone wants him back, but they hate that they have to lose Munenori Kawasaki in the process. Kawasaki has become a fan favorite for his dancing and other antics, and would have to move to either the bench or to Triple-A.

This was discussed on MLB Now, and the question was posed about whether they should go with Reyes or Kawasaki.

What?

I couldn’t believe that that was a serious question, as Reyes is the clear better player. However, Harold Reynolds tried to infer that because the Jays have been hot lately, that they should go with Kawasaki a little longer.

Now, I can understand not rushing Reyes back since they have been fine without him, and you don’t need to risk further injury. But if he is ready, which it seems he is, you need to put him in the lineup. Kawasaki may be entertaining, and fans love him. But he also has a .662 OPS, and even that will likely go down.

I do not expect that this is even an issue within the organization. Reyes is a star, and will be in the lineup as soon as possible. But there may be some fans who will hate to lose Kawasaki’s presence in the lineup, regardless of his lack of real production.