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Blue Jays mid-term report card: Grade Brandon Drury’s first half

By Tom Dakers
Boston Red Sox v Toronto Blue Jays Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

Brandon Drury has had the utility role on the Blue Jays. He’s played 5 positions, missing out on first base, center field and catcher.

He hasn’t hit at all, .218/.267/.383 with 8 home runs, 16 walks and 73 strikeouts. He’s hitting RHP pitching much better (.234/.286/.425) much better than LHP (.184/.225/.289). It is likely a sample size thing.

He’s been striking out a ton (27.9% of the time) and rarely walking (6.1%).

Brandon’s had a couple of good stretches. The second half of April he hit .326/.380/.739, with 5 of his 8 home runs, in 12 games. And his last few games have been good, .375/.444/.875, with 2 home runs.

Baseball Reference has him at a 0 WAR, FanGraphs at a -0.1 WAR.

Defensively he seems fine at any of the positions. I wouldn’t want him playing shortstop regularly, but the other spots he seems ok at. He’s played a reasonable amount of third base and has a 8.3 UZR/150 there.

I’m ok with having him, my problem is he is playing way too much. If he played once or twice a week, I’d be happier, but he’s played in 69 of our 91 games.

I’m kind of interested in his future. What I’d like is to have enough of the young guys up that there isn’t room for Brandon to play so much. Have enough guys playing every day that there isn’t much space for the utility guy.

If Grichuk, Hernandez and Gurriel can stay healthy and play everyday, and Biggio and hopefully, Bichette are playing second and short everyday, I’d be ok with keeping Drury around to play every occasionally.

I am expecting they will be shopping Galvis this month and getting Bo up. And, hopefully soon, bringing either Pompey or Alford up to be the fourth outfielder and Brandon’s playing time will be limited.

Poll

For the first half I would grade Brandon Drury an

This poll is closed

  • 0%
    A
    (5 votes)
  • 0%
    B+
    (2 votes)
  • 0%
    B
    (4 votes)
  • 2%
    B-
    (13 votes)
  • 3%
    C+
    (22 votes)
  • 10%
    C
    (61 votes)
  • 19%
    C-
    (113 votes)
  • 19%
    D+
    (117 votes)
  • 20%
    D
    (124 votes)
  • 10%
    D-
    (61 votes)
  • 11%
    F
    (70 votes)
592 votes total Vote Now

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