With pitchers and catchers reporting to Dunedin, Florida and Blue Jays spring training officially getting underway, one player is starting the year facing some adversity heading into a new campaign.
As per Scott Mitchell at TSN, Cavan Biggio enters camp dealing with left shoulder tendonitis, with the Houston, Texas product sustaining the injury during the offseason. Mitchell also reports that Biggio is the only player from the roster who is entering the year dealing with an injury and as per manager John Schneider, he won’t be facing live pitching for now.
Biggio enters the 2024 season on the heels of an up-and-down campaign, with the left-handed hitter finishing the year with a .235/.340/.370 slash line with nine home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .710 OPS. His 98 OPS+ was the highest tally for the Notre Dame product since the 2020 season and he was healthy as well, with Biggio being limited to just 176 games through the 2021 to 2022 seasons while dealing with hand, back, and spine injuries as well as a bout with COVID-19. The 6-foot-2 utility player struggled early in the campaign but ended the campaign on a high note, posting a .781 OPS and a .334 BAbip through September while adding 14 RBIs and one home run while racking up a .271 average.
This year, Biggio is set to see an increase in playing time with the recent departures of Whit Merrifield and Matt Chapman to free agency. He will likely be splitting second base with Davis Schneider for most of the campaign but could find himself across the field due to his versatility and ability to play the corner outfield spots when necessary. He is one of the three left-handed hitting batters on the roster (Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier round out the group) barring Spencer Horwitz, Nathan Lukes, or Addison Barger making the team out of spring training, and is projected via Steamer to sport similar numbers this upcoming campaign (.228 AVG, .333 OBP, and a .701 OPS).
With the shoulder ailment, the Blue Jays appear to be taking things slow with Cavan Biggio and barring something out of the ordinary, he should be ready to go for Opening Day.
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