Over the past two weeks, the Jays are 8-5. The offense has scored 4.2 runs per game.
Hot
Ernie Clement: Started 12 games. Hit .333/.378/.500 with 7 doubles, 5 RBI, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts and 1 caught stealing..
Started six games at short, 4 games at second and 2 at third. He’s been terrific. I prefer Gimenez’s defense at shortstop, but Clement isn’t bad there. He’s good at second and third, too.
Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 13 games. Hit .365/.411/.462 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
3 starts were as DH. I’m surprised his numbers are that good, but he is struggling to hit the ball hard of late. Now would be a good time to get it going again.
Davis Schneider: Played 10 games, starting 9. Hit .238/.393/.381 with 1 home run, 2 RBI, 6 walks, 6 strikeouts and 1 steal.
He’s walking a lot, getting long at-bats, but he’s not hitting the ball hard. I’m not sure that hot is the right thing to call him, but getting on base 40% of the time is good. Finally playing every day. He was hitting better when he was playing part-time, but I’d leave him in. Started at second, the rest in left.
Cold
Alejandro Kirk: Played in 11 of the 13, starting 8. Hit ..161/.243/.161 with no extra base hits, 4 walks, 4 RBI, and 8 strikeouts.
Base stealers are 7-1 against him over the last two weeks. He’s not hitting at all. Slumps happen, especially for catchers, who get foul balls off different parts of the body, and sometimes it makes it harder to swing. And, of course, they do over 100 squats every game. Hopefully the slump will end soon.
Andrés Giménez: Started 11 games. Hitting .114/158/.143 with 1 double, with 3 RBI, 1 caught stealing, 2 walk and 7 strikeouts.
He’s played short for the last six games, and he looks excellent there. That should be his spot, but you can’t ask Bo to change during the season. But, if they sign Bo, they should be asking him to move. We have Gimenez for for a bit, we should use him in the spot where he is most valuable.
Myles Straw: Played 11 games, 4 starts. Hit ..133/.188/.200 with 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 steal, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts.
He’s truly been up and down this season. One week is terrific, the next on, not.
Addison Barger: Played in 12 games, starting 11. Hit ..222/.326/.389 with 1 home run, 3 doubles, 7 RBI, 5 walks, and 8 strikeouts.
Started two games in right, the rest in right. He’s looked really good at third. The bat seems to be coming around.
Tyler Heineman: Played in 7 games, starting 5. Hit ..100/.182/.200 with 1 RBI, 3 strikeouts.
Just 15 at-bats. I’m not a big believer in ERA by catchers, but Heineman is doing much better (3.56) than Kirk (4.23). I don’t know, I don’t think he’s catching the ‘better’ pitchers. It is likely just random noise. Kirk is a better framer, but Tyler is doing something right.
Daulton Varsho: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hit .133/.133/.133 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 RBI, 1 walks and 11 strikeouts.
Just off a great stretch, and he’s hit a rough spell. I don’t know if he needs a couple of days off, or if this is just a normal fluctuation. But then, we are in a spot of the season when we need him to play.
Ty France: Played in 8 games, starting 3. Hit .059/.059/.059 with 3 strikeouts.
Yeah that’s cold. Only 17 at bats, and he was terrific before that.
Also Played
Joey Loperfido: 7 games, 3 starts. Hitting .231/.231/.538 with 1 double, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 0 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Only 13 PA. Seems to have lost his job to Schneider.
Inbetween
George Springer: Started all 13 games. Hit .264/.328/434 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, 4 walks and 15 strikeouts, with 3 steals.
Started 3 games in right, the rest at DH. Not hot, not cold. A lot of strikeouts, but that’s what he does.
Nathan Lukes: Played in 13 games, starting 10. Hit .275/.302/.375 with 1 double, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts and 1 caught stealing. He started two games in left, the rest in right. Had a few moments in center.
Again, not great, not terrible. He’s hitting lefties almost as good.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 9 games, 4 starts. Hit .316/.316/.368/.684, with 1 double, 4 RBI, 5 strikeouts.
Not many at-bats, 19. He’s been fine. His defense is good at second base and third base.
IL
Anthony Santander: Could be back after the weekend.
Bo Bichette: Played in two games, before going on the IL. 4 hits, in 6 at bats, 2 doubles, 2 RBI, 2 walks and 1 strikeout. They are hoping he’ll be back for the playoffs. I hope they are right.
