Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Blue Jays Batters

Over the past 15 games, the Jays are 9-6.

Our offense averaged 6.3 runs per game, which will win you a lot of games.

Hot

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 15 games. Hit .333/.385/.500/.500 with 6 doubles, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, 5 walks, and 10 strikeouts.

4 starts were as DH. The power is coming around. I keep being told he ‘doesn’t hit in the clutch’, but in high leverage spots he is hitting .329/.452/.493. Of course, the OBP is helped by teams pitching around him. It is nice to see the home runs coming. Defensively,

he’ll make some spectacular plays. He also leads the league in errors at first base.

Bo Bichette: Started all 15 games. Hit .357/.400/.541 with 12 doubles, 2 home runs, 18 RBI, 6 walks, 14 strikeouts.

Great timing for an amazing second half of the season. The team’s in the race and he’s in a contract year, not that I think he’s just turning it on for a contract. He must be having fun, the team is in first. If he hits like this we can turn a blind eye to his defense. FanGraphs has him at a -9 outs above average, which would be tied for the worst in the MLB with J.P. Crawford. If I were signing him to a long-term contract, I’d be asking him to move to second base. I don’t know if that would be a deal breaker or not, but that way you could survive the hot and cold of his bat. Baseball is best when Bo and Vlad are hitting.

Ernie Clement: Started all 15 games. Hit .290/.302/.565 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home run, 9 RBI, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.

Started at short in 2 games, second 5 games, third 8 games. His four home runs came in a stretch of five games. I wish he could take more than one walk every two weeks, but if he slugs .550, I’ll forgive. He’s still crushing LHP (.350/.378/.587), not so much against RHP (.247/.282/.320).

Joey Loperfido: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hitting .286/.333/493 with 2 double, 2 RBI, 1 caught stealing, 0 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Now he’s in Buffalo.

Ty France: Played in 13 games, starting 9. Hit .351/.415/.486 with 5 doubles, 2 RBI, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.

They have talked about how they have changed where he holds his hands at the start of his swing. It seems great all and, but I can’t believe that he’s going to continue to hit like this for the rest of the season. But I do like him at first base better than using Clement there on the days Vlad DHes.

Davis Schneider: Played 10 games, starting 7. Hit .400/.455/.767 with 2 double, 3 home runs, 12 RBI, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts and 1 steal.

He started 4 games at second, the rest in left. He made a couple of spectacular catches in the outfield. He is always going to be a streak hitter, but it looks like the hot streaks are going to make it all worthwhile. He’s fun to have on the team.

Myles Straw: Played 13 games, 7 starts. Hit ..323/344/.516 with 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 1 steal, 1 walks and 10 strikeouts. And 2 sac bunts,

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.

Daulton Varsho: Played in 13 games, starting 12. Hit .325/.438/.750 with 14 RBI, 8 walks and 13 strikeouts.

I’m so glad he is back. I have really noticed how good his defense is, after not having him around for so long. I don’t expect him to continue to hit like this for the rest of the season, but I do expect his defense to continue to be amazing. 5 home runs in 40 at bats, I think we could get used to that.

Tyler Heineman: Played in 6 games, starting 5. Hit .308/.471/.308 with 1 RBI, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts

No sac bunts. Couldn’t ask for a better backup catcher.

Cold

Alejandro Kirk: Played in 12 of the 15, starting 10. Hit ..195/.283/.341 with 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts and 1 stolen base.

Base stealers are 8-0 against him this month. He was throwing out a lot of base stealers early in the season, but hasn’t done as well lately. Teams are starting to catch on. On the season, he’s thrown out 23.5% of base stealers, slightly better than the league average of 21.9%. His bat hasn’t come back to where it was before going on the concussion IL, but he seems to be coming around lately. The stolen base is one of the best moments of the season.

Addison Barger: Played in 15 games, starting 12. Hit .245/.255/.415 with 3 home runs, 9 RBI, 1 walk, and 15 strikeouts.

Started 2 games in right, the rest at third. On a bit of a skid. These things happen. But the sooner he comes out of it the better. FanGraphs has him at a -2 outs above average at third, -4 in the outfield. He’s made 6 errors at third (errors happen at third, long throws and bang-bang plays. He also has 3 errors in right, 2 throwing, 1 fielding.

Nathan Lukes: Played in all 15 games, starting 10. Hit .222/.280/.400 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 7 RBI, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts.

He had one start in left, the rest in right. He’s also 2 for his last 21 at bats. Glad he’s been moved out of the leadoff spot, but I’m sure he’ll get back to hitting soon.