BALTIMORE -- Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said it was Ryan Goins' versatility that ultimately won him a spot on the 25-man roster over veteran outfielder Melvin Upton Jr.
Goins and Upton were competing for the final spot on the roster. The initial expectation was that Upton would make the team, but when the Blue Jays gathered to go over their options, they felt like Goins was the better fit for what this club needs.
Atkins cited Goins' ability to play both the infield and the outfield, plus the fact that he is under club control for several more years, as the primary reasons that the glove-first utility man made the team.