BALTIMORE – Dioner Navarro wasn’t expecting to be traded from the Chicago White Sox, but it didn’t take long for the veteran catcher to get excited about the possibility of making another playoff run in Toronto.
“I was in shock when it happened and I was happy two minutes later because I going to an organization where I feel really comfortable and to a group of guys that I have a good relationship with,” Navarro said at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Monday. “I ended up here and I’m really happy.”
Navarro’s teammates certainly seemed excited by the return of the 32-year-old, who was acquired Friday from the White Sox for left-handed pitching prospect Colton Turner and officially added to the roster Monday in place of Josh Thole, who was designated for assignment. As manager John Gibbons said, it’s almost as though Navarro never left.
“I was always a big fan, not just the player, the guy,” Gibbons said. “He’s one of those guys, his teammates love him.”
Even though Navarro signed in Chicago because the White Sox could offer more playing time, he says he’s now happy to contribute in a bench role backing up Russell Martin. With the playoffs approaching he’s focused on winning games.
“I’m part of this team and whatever they need me to do I’m ready for it,” Navarro said. “I’m pretty easy and I’ll be ready when my number is called.”
The Blue Jays expect Navarro to spell Martin behind the plate by working with a variety of pitchers. Navarro had success catching Marco Estrada in 2015, but Martin has handled Estrada well this year, so they’ll likely both get their chances.
“We’ll see how that develops,” Gibbons said. “Russ has been good with (Estrada), too.”
Martin, who rested Saturday and was Toronto’s designated hitter Sunday, was in the starting lineup for Estrada’s start Monday. That leaves Navarro on the bench, where he offers some thump against left-handed pitching and knowledge of the Blue Jays’ pitching staff — a real advantage considering the challenge of adjusting to new pitchers on the fly.
“I’ve been traded before midseason and it was a little bit of a struggle to get used to it,” Navarro said. “Coming back to these guys and this rotation that I have caught before, it makes it a little bit easier. Obviously we’ve got some new guys I’ve got to get to know. But the guys I know should make the transition a little easier.”
Navarro joins the Blue Jays with six home runs, a .210 batting average and a .606 OPS. His career numbers suggest he’s capable of more at the plate.
“I’m not where I want to be, that’s for sure,” Navarro said. “But it goes way beyond that. I’ve been feeling great the whole season. I feel healthy. I’ve been hitting the ball well, but other than that I never pay attention to that as long as we win. That’s my mentality.”
As for Thole, Gibbons says the Blue Jays are hoping to get him back, possibly even by the time R.A. Dickey makes his next start. That will depend on how his DFA period plays out, something the Blue Jays hope to determine sooner rather than later.
In the meantime they have a familiar player capable of making the kind of bench contributions all winning teams need.