Jon Jay
For his career, new Chicago Cubs outfielder Jon Jay has performed well. With the exception of the 2015 season, Jay’s batting average is above .276, with three seasons of .300+. For his seven years in the majors, Jay’s split is .287/.352/.384. Very similar to the player Jay is replacing.
The last two seasons for Jay were shortened by injury. In 2016, a fastball from Washington Nationals’ pitcher Gio Gonzalez struck Jay in the forearm, fracturing his ulna. He missed much of 2015 due to wrist issues. The Cubs will need him to stay healthy in order to repeat last year’s success.
While Jay is a potential 2.5 or 3-WAR players and has 2,700 at bats, he is still an unknown. Before his 2016 season ended, he was batting .291. That would have been second on the Cubs, just behind Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo at .292. While his stat show consistent performance, the pressure to make a statement is real. Hopes are high, but do not expect him to take walks or score runs as did Dexter Fowler.