Over the past two weeks the Jays are 7-5. The offense has scored 6.6 runs per game.
Hot
George Springer: Started all 12 games. Hit .417/.509/.833 with 2 doubles, 6 homers, 10 RBI, 7 walks and 9 strikeouts, with 3 steals.
Played 3 games in left, 1 in right, the rest at DH. He’s been incredible. I would have bet that he was finished after last season. Happy to be wrong. He’s got 27 home runs on the season.
Alejandro Kirk: Played in 10 of the 12, starting 9. Hit .364/.475/.667 with 2 home runs, 4 walks, 9 RBI,
7 walks, and 5 strikeouts.
Base stealers are 5-0 against him over the last two weeks. I don’t know if it is the catchers or the pitchers. I don’t know if the team has decided they aren’t that worried about steals now, but I liked it better when we threw out more of the base stealers. On the season, Kirk has dropped to 21.9% caught, basically league average. Early in the season, he was much better than league average. But then the bat, getting on base almost half the time, hitting the ball hard. Catchers’ hitting numbers have pretty big swings between good and bad. They get fouled balls off their hands or arms. It’s harder to hit when you are in pain.
Bo Bichette: Started all 12 games. Hit .408/.473/.612 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs, 9 RBI, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts.
Played short all 12 games. We used to say a player was on a contract run when they had a great season before coming up to their free agent season. Something that’s not fair at all. If players could turn it on and off at will, why would they ever turn it off? He’s going to make life tough for the front office.
Davis Schneider: Played 7 games, starting 4. Hit .235/.278/.588 with 2 home runs, 4 RBI, 1 walks, 8 strikeouts and 1 steal.
He’s really not getting any playing time and it is starting to wear on me. Clement isn’t hitting at all, why not give Davis some playing time. For that matter Barger hasn’t been hitting. Just give him some playing time, please.
Myles Straw: Played 12 games, 2 starts. Hit .385/.500/.462 with 1 double, 3 RBI, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
He has 5 hits in 7 at bats in his last two games, including the 2 home runs. FanGraphs has hit at a +7 outs above average on defense. I wonder what FanDuel would have paid out if you had bet he would have hit two home runs the other day.
Ty France: Played in 10 games, starting 7. Hit .385/.400/.538 with 1 double, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
He’s been terrific since coming to the Jays. I’d like to think they saw something and fixed him, but I know it is more likely that he’s just on a hot streak, but I’ll take it. I’m going to stop complaining about him for a bit. At least until this hot steak is over.
Daulton Varsho: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hit .278/.317/.750 with 2 doubles, 5 home runs, 12 RBI, 2 walks and 11 strikeouts.
He’s been amazing. On a per game bases, he’s been as good a player as we have. Great glove, home run every 10 at-bats. On the season, he has a .902 OPS. His BABIP is still low, .229. He’s not going to be a high batting average player, but if he continues to hit like this, I don’t care. And he might be the second best defensive center fielder we’d ever had (I’m still putting Devon White ahead of him, but not by much).
Tyler Heineman: Played in 4 games, starting 3. Hit ..100/.182/.200 with 1 RBI, 1 walk and 1 strikeouts
Just 10 at-bats.
Cold
Vladimir Guerrero: Played in 10 of 12, starting 9. Hit ..222/.302/.333 with 1 double, 1 home run, 8 RBI, 5 walks, and 6 strikeouts.
4 starts were as DH. Having a slow start coming back from the hamstring issue. The last couple of games have been better (5 for 8). The legs are important to a hitter. I’m hoping this will be a big week for him (but then I’m hoping this is a big week for all our hitters). I appreciated him talking to Jeff Hoffman on the mound the game after Hoffman had the bad blowout.
Andrés Giménez: Played in all 12 games. Hitting ..214/.250/.381 with 2 home runs, 1 double, with 4 RBI, 2 steals, 1 walk and 8 strikeouts.
Also been slow since coming off the IL. Every time he hits a home run, we are told how the big leg kick is helping his batting and then he goes back to being who he’s always been. I think it is worth carrying his bat, for his glove. But there are days when I’m not sure. If it was a computer game (OOTP Baseball for example) I’d say his glove can’t make up for his bat, but I think computer games underplay the value of a good glove in those games.
Ernie Clement: Hit .219/.265/.281 with 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.
Played third most of the time, with a couple of innings at first and second. Obviously, his hand isn’t helping, he’s not able to hit the ball hard. I don’t know that his glove is good enough to carry his bat when he’s hitting like this, and I think if he played less, he’d likely heal quicker, but then I’m a long way from the players.
Addison Barger: Played in 10 games, starting 9. Hit .194/.231/.306 with 1 home run, 6 RBI, 2 walks, and 9 strikeouts.
Started three games at third, the rest in right. He’s going through a rough stretch. He seems to be coming out of it. I hope. I’m always torn. A player can’t get out of a slump on the bench, but sometimes you’d like to see someone who’s hitting well get the playing time. I think Barger is worth the time; let him play his way out of the slump. I think he could end up being a special player.
Nathan Lukes: Played in 12 games, starting 11. Hit .263/.282/.395 with 5 doubles, 4 RBI, 1 walks, 9 strikeouts and 1 caught stealing.
He’s having a rough time of it. On the season, he’s got a 99 OPS+, league average. A corner outfielder, I’d like him to be above league average. I saw someone on Twitter saying he was having a ‘great’ season. And I wondered about the definition of great. I like Luke’s, but I’d like it better if he were in more of a fourth outfielder spot, not an everyday spot.
Tyler Heineman: Played in 4 games, starting 3. Hit ..100/.182/.200 with 1 RBI, 1 walk and 1 strikeouts
Just 10 at-bats.
Also Played
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 4 at-bats, no hits, no walks, but 2 runs scored. Very cool
IL
Anthony Santander: Might start a rehab assignment next week..