Blue Jays told Alan Roden and others they’ve made the Opening Day roster

Although Roden wasn’t on the Blue Jays 40-man roster, his spot on the Opening Day roster cannot be denied. Last season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Roden slashed .293/.391/.475 with 16 home runs in 530 plate appearances. So far in Spring Training, Roden is slashing .423/.556/.731 with two home runs in 36 plate appearances, with his 228 wRC+ being the highest for any Blue Jay with more than 10 plate appearances.

Straw also has to be added to the 40-man roster. Acquired to land more International Free Agency bonus pool money, Straw has had a strong Spring Training, slashing .414/.486/.586 with one home run in 35 plate appearances for a 181 wRC+. His career-best season was in 2021, where he slashed .271/.349/.348 with four home runs in 638 plate appearances for a 98 wRC+.

As for the players already on the 40-man roster, Wagner was always going to make the roster. It wasn’t a strong Spring Training for the 26-year-old, as he slashed .243/.333/.378 with no home runs in 42 plate appearances. However, he showed that he is capable of playing third base and will split time there and first base.

Perhaps the most surprising move saw the Blue Jays elect to choose Lukes over Barger. This Spring Training, Lukes slashed .206/.357/.353 with one home run in 42 plate appearances for a 95 wRC+. Barger on the other hand, slashed .367/.429/.733 with three home runs in 35 plate appearances for a 189 wRC+.

The question is, who comes off the 40-man roster for Roden and Straw? Candidates to move to the 60-day Injured List are Ryan Burr, Zach Pop, Erik Swanson, and Adam Macko. Players who could be designated for assignment are Pop, Tommy Nance, and potentially Berroa, but that doesn’t seem likely.

Either way, get ready because Spring Training is just days away at this point.