The Toronto Blue Jays are hoping to spark their lineup by promoting one of their top prospects. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays will promote infielder Sean Keys.
Keys is a fourth-rounder out of Bucknell University in the 2024 MLB Draft. He was selected three rounds after Toronto landed right-hander Trey Yesavage.
With Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo, he slashed .284/.409/.619 with 21 home runs and a 164 wRC+. This comes after a decent first full year where he hit .217 with a .773 OPS in the pitcher-friendly Northwest League. Since the start of 2025, he has 40 home runs in 186 games.
The Blue Jays will have to make both an active and 40-man roster move to fit Keys on the roster. He won’t play until Saturday’s game (June 27), per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, so Toronto can delay the roster move one day.
Keys hit .284/.409/.619 with 21 homers across 286 PA between AA and AAA this season. He’s split time between third and first base.
Lack of Slug Leads to Sean Keys’ Promotion
GettyVladimir Guerrero Jr.’s power drought in 2026 has been an issue for the Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
The Blue Jays are currently in a tight battle for the final American League Wild Card spot. Toronto is hitting .249 with a .702 OPS. Their team’s wRC+ of 96 ranks 21st in MLB.
Much of that has to do with a lack of home run power in their lineup. Toronto is 23rd in home runs with 82. Their .143 ISO, which is slugging percentage minus batting average, is 25th. The lack of slug has affected their run-scoring ability, as their 4.11 runs per game is just 22nd.
The biggest culprit for the lack of power is Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has just four home runs in 2026. Guerrero is slashing .273/.356/.358 at the plate, good for a 99 wRC+. He’s not even on pace for double-digit home runs.
The Blue Jays probably didn’t expect their star first baseman to produce like a league-average hitter in the first year of a $500 million extension. It’s certainly a surprise, given his amazing 2025 postseason.
Guerrero slashed .397/.494/.795 with eight home runs, with Toronto falling an out shy of upsetting the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
Kazuma Okamoto leads the club in home runs with 18. The next player, George Springer, has just eight. Their top left-handed hitter in home runs, Jesus Sanchez, has just seven. The Blue Jays will turn to Keys to add some much-needed power to their lineup for now.
Where Sean Keys Fits the Blue Jays Lineup
Fitting Sean Keys into the lineup is going to be tricky. The Blue Jays have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto on long-term deals on the infield corners. George Springer is their primary DH.
That’s a problem for the club to figure out. Realistically, the best option is moving him to a corner outfield spot. Keys has not played the outfield yet in his professional career.
That’s going to eat into the playing time for Jesus Sanchez, Yohendrick Pinango, and Nathan Lukes. If Keys is in the everyday lineup, then left field makes the most sense. That would allow for Dalton Varsho and Nathan Lukes to remain at the other two spots against right-handed pitching.
The active roster move will be the most telling in where he’ll fit. Pinango and Springer will be the two players to watch on that front.
Blue Jays Promote Prospect with 21 Homers for MLB Debut