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

The pitchers had a pretty good couple of weeks. The batters?

Well they hit .251/.314/.420 and scored 48 runs in 12 games, 4 runs a game. Of course that was helped along by a series against the Orioles.

Hot

Curtis Granderson: .333/.375/.600 with 2 homers, 7 RBI, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.

He played in 9 games, starting 7. 4 of the starts were at DH. 2 in right and 1 in left. He wasn’t hitting at all in May, June comes and he hits again. It always amazes me how flipping the page of the calendar can change how a guy is hitting.

Randal Grichuk: .308/.357/.615, with 3 home runs, 9 RBI, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.

Started 11 games, 10 in right and the one in center. So he used his time on the DL well. I really like his defense. If the team wanted to trade Pillar (I wonder what they could get for him at the deadline, not that I’m expecting them to shop him), I’d be fine with Grichuk in center. Course maybe we should give him a little longer to prove that this little hot streak with the bat is real, before planning for the future.

Teoscar Hernandez: .311/.340/.644 with 3 home runs, 8 RBI, 2 caught stealing, 2 walks and 12 strikeouts.

Started 11 of the 12 games, all in left. He has looked a lot better in left. I get the feeling they are working with him on his defense. He had a great April, a lousy May but he’s back to great again. It is nice to see. Pitchers figured how to pitch to him, and now Teoscar has made an adjustment.

Luke Maile: .167/.375/.500 with 1 home run, 2 RBI. 4 walks and 3 strikeouts.

Played in 5 games, starting 4. He had 2 hits, a homer and a double. 2 hits and 4 walks. Weird numbers, but an .875 OPS, so lets call it hot.

Gio Urshela: .429/.467/.429 with 1 walks and 1 strikeout.

Started 4 games and at third base. He had hits in 3 of the 4 games. In the four games he had 3, 2, 1 and 0 hits. All singles. I don’t understand why he’s with the Jays when they have Lourdes Gurriel in the minors.

Cold

Justin Smoak: .132/.313/.263 with 1 homer, 4 RBI, 10 walks and 11 strikeouts.

He started 11 games, all at first base. He had twice as many walks as hits. So far this season is fitting in more with the pre-2017 Smoak than the 2017 Smoak. He has a $6 million team option for next year. I’d image there is no way they won’t pick up that option.

Devon Travis: .259/.333/.259 with 1 RBI, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.

Played in 10 games, starting 7. He also had a steal. Right now for the season he has a -0.3 bWAR. If he doesn’t show better before the end of the season, I wonder what his future is with the team.

Aledmys Diaz: .239/.271/.304 with no homers, 2 RBI, 1 caught stealing, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.

Played in 7 games, starting 6, since he returned from the DL. His defense has looked good and he’s been hitting balls hard, but finding gloves. It has been nice to see just defense at short after the dozen or so guys that played there while he was hurt.

Yangervis Solarte: .231/.259/.346, with 1 home run, 4 RBI, 2 walks and 8 strikeouts.

He started all 12 games. 8 at third, 4 at second. He seems either really hot or really cold. At the start of the season he was taking a lot of walks, but that has stopped. I wish he would go back to being more patient at the plate.

Kevin Pillar: .204/.204/.388 with 3 homers, 6 RBI, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts.

Started 11 games, came into the other as a pinch hitter/defensive replacement. Yeah, he hasn’t taken a walk yet this month. His last walk was May 28th. After starting the season great, his numbers have dropped into his normal range, so we don’t have to listen to the ‘Pillar has changed’ stuff until next year.

Inbetween

Russell Martin: .200/.394/.320 with 1 home run, 2 RBI, 7 walks and 8 strikeouts.

Started 8 games and all at catcher. He’s getting on base. He’s also thrown out 4 of 10 basestealers. In his four seasons he’s had OPS of .859, .785, .729 and, so far this year, .577. I don’t know if I want to see the next number in the progression. He’s only played 35 games, so it is a small sample.

Kendrys Morales: .262/.289/.405 with 1 homer, 3 RBI, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.

Played in 11 games, starting 9. He started one game at first. It is better than he was hitting, but still pretty bad.

On the DL

Josh Donaldson: They are talking about him playing some rehab games, but he’s got to be able to run first. It would be nice if he could get back to playing soon. He’s going to have to put up some big numbers if we are goin to be able to get anything for him at the deadline.

Steve Pearce: They said he’s been taking BP, so they should be thinking about a rehab assignment soon, but I don’t expect he’ll be back until July.

Troy Tulowitzki: He’s been running on real ground, not just thread mills now. He won’t be back any time soon.