Montoyo on Toronto's appeal, club's progress

TORONTO -- Charlie Montoyo wears many hats with the Blue Jays.

On your television and in the dugout, he’s the manager. In Spring Training and through the many afternoons leading up to first pitch, he’s a player development guy, a role he’s embraced his entire coaching career. This offseason, with the Blue Jays expected to be a major player in the free-agent market, Montoyo is taking on the split roles of hype man and salesman.

• MLB Free Agent & Hot Stove Tracker

Montoyo has been on every call as the Blue Jays work to make a big splash in free agency. There are the expected questions, particularly about playing for Canada’s only team, but Montoyo views that as a selling point. He’s been particularly encouraged by how general manager Ross Atkins and president and CEO Mark Shapiro have sold the city of Toronto, its people and its diversity.

“I feel like, when those calls are over, I’ve got to go run five miles, because I’m so excited about our team and the people that I work for,” Montoyo said Friday.

Blue Jays fans are already plenty familiar with Montoyo’s positivity, which persisted through the 2020 season even as the club struggled or dealt with injuries. Toronto came out the other side in better shape, making its first postseason appearance since '16.

That’s part of the Blue Jays’ appeal that Montoyo doesn’t think has been talked about enough. Beyond the club’s payroll flexibility and beyond the city of Toronto, Montoyo sees a young team that established players who want to win should be eager to join. He doesn’t think this is news to free agents, though.

“I love talking about my team and how exciting our team is,” Montoyo. "The beautiful thing about it is that [free agents] all know that already. They’ve seen our team play last year. When the free agents come in, they already know what I’m going to say and they know how exciting our team is.”

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Just when these expected additions will arrive is less clear. The market has been slow this offseason, and until one of the names at the top of the market signs, it’s likely to stay that way. That creates a complicated game for a team like the Blue Jays, who are aiming high.

The club hasn’t shied away from expectations, though. Appearing Friday on MLB Network Radio, Shapiro reiterated that these additions could come in multiple forms.

“Because we’re so young and because we’re in a relatively big market, we can consider the largest impact free agents,” Shapiro said. “It doesn’t have to come in the form of one elite player. It could come in the form of adding three or four really good players this winter, either through trade or free agency.”

Part of what allows the Blue Jays to take this approach is the flexibility of their current roster. The third base position works as a good example.

With Travis Shaw recently non-tendered, that position is as “open” as any on Toronto's roster. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be given a shot to win back some level of playing time there and Cavan Biggio is another option, meaning that the club could be just as comfortable adding at second base and sliding him across the diamond. Since these needs aren’t rigid, the Blue Jays can move with fewer restrictions and consider more creative approaches.

This is by design, but it requires buy-in from the players, too.

“They just want to win,” Montoyo said. “They don’t have any problems moving around to help the team win. That’s why Biggio doesn’t have problems or any of the guys, the outfielders play all over the place. That’s what I love about my team.”