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

The Blue Jays bats have taken the last couple of weeks off.

Over the past 12 games we’ve hit .206/.284/.352 and averaged 3.25 runs a game. It is pretty bad when, as a team, you are hitting barely over the Mendoza line. But we still have some falling under the “hot” category.

Hot

Yangervis Solarte: .310/.333/.548, 7 RBI, 2 homers, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.

Started 11 of 12 game. 5 at second, 4 at short, 1 at third and 1 as DH. He was walking more at the start of the season. He had a stretch of 9 walks in 6 games at one time. He does seem to be a streak hitter, but he’s having a better season than I expected. He’s a fun guy to have on the team.

Justin Smoak: .229/.413/.429, 3 RBI, 2 homers. 10 walks and 14 strikeouts.

He started 11 of the 12 games all at first base. It’s kind of a marginal up arrow. He isn’t hitting well but he’s still getting on base. He’s not having a great season, but has the best OPS+ of any of our hitters other than Dwight Smith. I’m hoping he gets on a home run hitting streak, he always seems to be streaky with the homers. We could use some power.

Devon Travis: .292/.320/.542, 3 RBI, 1 homer, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.

Played in 7 games since being called up again. He’s done well, with hits in 5 of the 7 games. He’s had the odd bad moment on defense, but that whole team has been like that. I’m not going to guess that’s he’s fixed, but I’m hopeful.

Kendrys Morales: .407/.429/.630, 6 RBI, 1 homer, 1 steal, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.

Played in 9 games, starting 7. He played 1 game at first and he pitched an inning. I don’t buy the idea that he’s doing better because he’s not wearing glasses, but still.....I wouldn’t put them back on if I was Kendrys. I’d like if he can keep this streak going for a bit, I never did believe he was as bad as hit numbers looked, but I don’t think he’s good enough to want to keep around next year.

Dwight Smith: .250/.375/.450 with 3 RBI. 1 homer, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.

Played in 10 games, starting 5 all in left field. Maybe it is time to let him play more. We have half a dozen guys not hitting at all, let Smith show if he can be a major leaguer or not.

Cold

Russell Martin: .172/.294/.172, 2 RBI, no extra base hits, 4 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Started 9 of 12 games, 5 at catcher, 2 at third, 1 at short and 1 in left. If you would have told me that Martin was going to be our utility player I wouldn’t have believed you, but he does seem to play decent defense in all the spots. I liked his defense at short better than Solarte’s. I’d be happier if he was hitting a bit. He started slow last year, but by the end of May he was hitting .243/.387/.405. He also had the hit by pitch where he wasn’t very impressed.

Curtis Granderson: .154/.175/256, 1 homer, 2 RBI, 1 walk and 15 strikeouts.

Played in 10 of 12, starting 9. He had 6 in left, 3 games in right and 1 in center. He’s been in a bad slump, he’s even stopped taking walks. I guess we all slump, but when the player is 37, it’s a bit more of a worry.

Kevin Pillar: .105/.186/.158, 2 RBI, 1 steal, 4 walks and 12 strikeouts.

Started 11 games and came into the other one as a pinch hitter. He does seem to be hitting the ball harder of late, but he seems to be back chasing pitches. Fast starts are important because no one notices when you are slumping if you get off to a good start. He has hit more doubles than in the past, but he’s behind last year’s rate of home runs. His slugging average is up a bit, but his other numbers looks to be falling in line with his career numbers. 9-0 in stolen base attempts. His walk rate is up a tiny bit, and his strikeout rate us up a fair bit. I love the guy, but we have to stop pretending his fast starts to seasons mean there that he has made some real change.

Teoscar Hernandez: .171/.209/.341 with 5 RBI. 1 homer, 1 walk and 8 strikeouts.

Started 10 of 12, all in right field. His defense is going to drive me to drink. His strikeout rate is down from last year, but so is his walk rate. I guess the question is “which is the real Teoscar Hernandez?” Is he the guy who was raking early in the season, or the guy who can’t hit his weight of late. As always, start the season hot, you’ll get a lot of leash. But I’m almost ready to switch him and Dalton Pompey (depending on what Dalton’s injury might be), because Dalton will make more of the catches.

Josh Donaldson: .235/.381/.353 with 0 RBI, 8 walks and 8 strikeouts.

Started in 10 of the 12 games. DHed in 2 games. Anyone else I’d say ‘at least he’s getting on base’, but Josh has to hit like Josh. We’d look so much better if he was hitting. I don’t know what is going to happen with Josh. I don’t think he has enough trade value to bring back anything of value, unless he starts hitting soon. I also don’t know how much value he will have on the free agent market this winter. I also think, where ever he plays next year, he’s going to have to move across the diamond to first base.

Luke Maile: .045/.125/.091, 0 RBI, 2 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Played in 8 games, starting 7. He’s turned back into Luke Maile. He’s been hitless in his last 6 starts. Ten days ago he was hitting .315, now he’s hitting .256. The good part is he is playing good defense. I hate falling for the talk that a good start means someone is a different player, I like to think I’m smarter than that, but Luke fooled me.

Gio Urshela: .136/.208/.318, 3 RBI, 1 homer, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.

Played in 9 games, starting 7. He started 6 games at short, 1 at third. Honestly, I don’t see the point of him. I’d be happier with Lourdes Gurriel or Richard Urena. Either of those two might have a future with the team. I don’t think Gio does. Gio’s been fine defensively, but I don’t think he’s ever going to have enough bat to make him worth having on an MLB roster.

Also played

Richard Urena had 4 PA in the two weeks we are looking at, he had a sac bunt in there. See Gio’s comment.

On the DL

Aledmys Diaz has been playing rehab games. He’s had 4 hits in 10 at bats, with 3 doubles. I’m expecting him to be activated soon.

Randal Grichuk has been playing rehab games. He could be back soon.

Steve Pearce is a long way from returning to the team.