TORONTO — Blue Jays manager John Schneider can still picture Danny Jansen as the skinny 17-year-old catcher from Wisconsin who arrived in Dunedin, Fla. fresh off of being drafted in the 16th round in 2013.
Jansen was such a raw prospect when he arrived at the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, where Schneider was coaching, that the two tossed a football to each other so Jansen could build the necessary arm strength to make the throw to second base.
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“He’s always been a grinder. He’s always been blue collar and it reflects in his play,” Schneider said.
Schneider was reminiscing on Jansen’s evolution from a fresh-faced teenager to the 29-year-old major leaguer who confidently commands a pitching staff because, after 11 years with the organization, Jansen was moving on. Following their 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday, the Blue Jays announced they had traded Jansen to their division rival Boston Red Sox for a trio of minor-leaguers, including infielders Cutter Coffey, Eddinson Paulino and right-handed pitcher Gilberto Batista.
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“Today’s kind of bittersweet,” Schneider said. “It’s cool because you see him grow up, you see him turn into a major-league player and you see him evolve as a player and then you see him get married and have kids and become a father. I know his parents well. This one’s a little bit different for me because it’s a guy that I’ve known for a really long time, over 10 years, but he’s grown into a really damn good major-league player.”
As a result of their underwhelming season, the Blue Jays have been forced into the position of seller at this year’s trade deadline. The club has been engaging in talks on several of their players, especially those scheduled to become free agents after the season, which included Jansen.
Already, the Blue Jays have dealt relievers Yimi García, to the Seattle Mariners, and Nate Pearson, to the Chicago Cubs, and more deals are expected in the lead-up to Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.
The Blue Jays sell-off has been forecast for weeks as they continued to sit last in the AL East standings and moving on from players — even fan favourites — comes with the territory. But perhaps no trade this deadline will cut as deep as the one involving Jansen, the longest-tenured Blue Jay, who had put down wide-reaching roots throughout the entire organization and shared a special connection with a fan base that saw him blossom from a rookie catcher during a rebuild into a power-hitting threat who was part of three playoff rosters.
“I grew up here, became a man here, raised a family,” Jansen said after learning of the trade. “It’s just a whole lot of emotions.”
Jansen said he first learned of the trade when he walked into the clubhouse following the Blue Jays’ win and saw his name on the TV. After doing a double take, Jansen met with Blue Jays officials, including Schneider, who filled him in on his trade to the Red Sox.
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His conversation with Schneider was significant, Jansen said, given their shared history. They first met in the lowest rung of the minor leagues and eventually reunited with the Blue Jays in 2019 once Schneider was promoted to the major-league coaching staff, first as a coach and later as the club’s manager.
“He’s somebody that has helped me so much throughout my career on and off the field,” Jansen said. “He’s such an outstanding guy, and I’m definitely grateful for my time being with him throughout my whole career.”
Schneider’s parting message to Jansen was that joining the Red Sox was “a good opportunity for him.”
“I gave him a hug,” the manager added. “He’s like my third kid — he’s like my third son.”
Schneider is far from the only member of the organization who was feeling bittersweet over Jansen’s departure. The catcher was a beloved member of the clubhouse, seen as a quiet leader who was especially appreciated by the pitching staff because of his calm and composed demeanour behind the plate.
“He is the longest-tenured Blue Jay now and so especially at the catcher position, that’s kind of the quarterback of the team. He’s been here for a long time, he’s been a staple in this lineup, in this stadium, on this field, behind that plate,” said starter Kevin Gausman, who threw a complete game on Saturday. “I understand the business, but he’s a hell of a person. He’s a hell of a baseball player and I wish him nothing but the best.”
In the aftermath of the deal, Jansen said he took a moment to pose for a photo on the Rogers Centre field with his family, which includes his wife, Alexis, son Miles and newborn daughter, Josephine. At the same time, he was trying to say goodbye to the teammates he’s played alongside for his entire career.
As the Blue Jays playoff odds continued to sink, Jansen realized as a pending free agent that he could be dealt at the deadline. He did spend some time thinking of that possibility, but he mainly tried to focus on “controlling what I can control.”
His wife told him that he should try to stay in the present — “try to enjoy every moment with any group that I’m playing with, especially the guys I played with for a long time here and just go out there and compete and have fun and enjoy it,” he said.
After more than a decade with the Blue Jays, Jansen has many special memories. His first Canada Day at the Rogers Centre stands out, he said, as does playing in front of a home crowd during the postseason in 2022.
“The fan base is incredible and being able to play for a whole country, going on winter tours and seeing the beautiful country all over has been awesome,” Jansen said. “You can really feel the passion throughout the whole country.”
Now, as Jansen looks ahead, the transition to the Red Sox will be a significant adjustment, especially learning an entirely new pitching staff in a short time frame. But the 29-year-old was excited for the opportunity to be a part of a playoff race and experience the rousing atmosphere at Fenway Park, which he’s only ever felt as a visiting player.
“I’m just going to meet with the staff and the players and try to just hit the ground running,” Jansen said.
For now, the Red Sox are his focus. But in a few months, Jansen will hit free agency and Schneider floated the possibility that the catcher could return to the Blue Jays. “We’re going to try to win next year and if he can be a part of that, that’d be great,” the manager said.
“I’m never going to shut any doors,” Jansen said when asked about the potential to re-sign with the Blue Jays in the offseason. “What I’m controlling right now is just trying to control what I can control, and it’s going to be going to obviously the Red Sox and being part of that great organization and meet the guys in the clubhouse and try to win with that team.”
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, will lean on Alejandro Kirk to handle the bulk of catching duties down the stretch and will likely call-up Brian Serven from Triple-A Buffalo to be the backup.
The Blue Jays play the Red Sox two more times this season, in August and September. For Schneider, he said it would be “weird” seeing Jansen in a Red Sox jersey. It’ll feel a little odd at first for Jansen, too. “This is all I know,” he said.
“I’m extremely grateful for my time here, but I’m excited for the next chapter, the next thing ahead of me,” Jansen continued. “It’s going to be a little different, for sure, but I’m excited for the opportunity and the challenge.”
(Photo of Jansen: Nick Turchiaro / USA Today)
