One of my all-time favourites, Devon Travis, turns 35 today.
Travis joined the Blue Jays in a trade with the Tigers on November 13, 2014, with Anthony Gose heading to Detroit.
Travis ranked #84 on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects list. Gose, though speedy, had been a disappointment for us, hitting .247/.315/.363 with 34 stolen bases over 202 games across three seasons.
In 2015, Travis arrived at spring training as a long shot to make the roster. The team expected he’d need more time in Triple-A. But, true to form, Maicer Izturis got hurt, and Travis became our opening day second baseman.
His season began brilliantly. He hit .325/.393/.624 in April and earned AL Rookie of the Month honors. But in mid-May, a shoulder injury landed him on the DL. He returned in late June, batting .357/.402/.488 before reinjuring the shoulder.
He played just 62 games and hit .304/.361/.498 with 8 home runs, missing out on the Blue Jays’ first playoff appearance in 22 years.
The shoulder trouble followed him into 2016. After a minor league rehab stint in late April, Travis rejoined the Jays in late May and played out the season. In 101 games, he hit .300/.332/.454 with 11 home runs. This time, he made the playoffs—though limited by a bone bruise, he managed just 1 hit in 12 at-bats.
Devon began the 2017 season in the lineup but struggled through April, hitting just .130/.193/.195. May was a resurgence (.364/.373/.646), but another injury struck. What was first called a bone bruise in his knee turned out to be worse, requiring surgery and costing him the remainder of the season.
In 2018, Travis played a career-high 103 games, but posted career lows at the plate: .232/.275/.381. His defense also declined. He finally avoided the DL for a season, but clearly wasn’t fully healthy.
Spring 2019 brought another surgery, this time for a torn meniscus in his knee. Travis missed the season, and after being outrighted off the Jays’ roster, chose free agency.
Devon was always a favourite of mine. I bought his jersey early (sorry, Devon—that’s usually a curse). He had that effortless .300 swing, with a beautiful line-drive approach. His defense was solid, if not spectacular, and he turned a quick double play. Sometimes, I questioned if the Jays rushed his returns; I often felt frustrated with the team’s training staff.
Injuries took their toll on both his bat and glove.
“What could have been” is a line too often written in baseball biographies. Second base is a tough spot for injury-prone players. It’s safer now than it used to be—rule changes have helped—but middle infielders were frequent targets for hard slides. Second basemen, facing away from the runner to receive throws, are especially vulnerable. Shortstops can be hurt too (see Tony Fernandez), but they generally watch the play and can brace or evade. Second basemen are often defenseless.
Today, Travis runs a baseball academy.
Happy birthday, Travis. I hope it is a good one.
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