This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson¡¯s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TORONTO -- Being traded to the Blue Jays caught Andrés Giménez by surprise, because of course it did.

This isn¡¯t a veteran in his mid-30s, coasting into the final year of a contract. Gim¨¦nez is just 26, fresh off an ALCS run with the Guardians and just two years into a seven-year, $106.5 million contract extension signed prior to the 2023 season.

Speaking with Toronto media for the first time on Wednesday, Gim¨¦nez expressed his eagerness to get to Dunedin, Fla., and start this new journey with his Blue Jays teammates. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. called him immediately after the trade was made last week at the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas. Soon after, he heard from Ernie Clement, an old friend from their days together with the Guardians, and Bo Bichette.

¡°I¡¯m very excited to bring my defense over here,¡± Gim¨¦nez said through a club interpreter. ¡°I¡¯m very excited to play with Vladdy, guys with Gold Gloves -- finally [Daulton] Varsho got his. Ernie Clement is around, too. I can¡¯t wait to start doing these double-play routines with Bo. I¡¯m excited for that.¡±

Gim¨¦nez is a brilliant defender. Consider him the Varsho of Toronto¡¯s infield now, a player capable of winning the Gold Glove Award each season. Much like Varsho, Gim¨¦nez¡¯s bat will determine whether he¡¯s a good player or a truly great one. Gim¨¦nez is coming off two seasons of decline from his offensive peak in 2022. Last season, he hit .252 with a .638 OPS.

¡°To be honest with you, especially during the season, it¡¯s hard to make big changes,¡± Gim¨¦nez said, ¡°especially when your team is winning a lot of games and everybody is playing good.

¡°I wanted to make sure I concentrated on the defense and helped the team out. It¡¯s kind of hard to make big changes during the season. Now, in the offseason, that¡¯s what I¡¯m working at, trying to make some adjustments, maybe things that I need to change in my mechanics.¡±

The Blue Jays already have some ideas, of course, and Gim¨¦nez is one of the biggest projects for new hitting coach David Popkins. Gim¨¦nez spent plenty of time batting second in Cleveland, and while things can change with moves to come, he¡¯s expected to provide speed from the latter half of the lineup.