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

It has not been a good two weeks. The Jays went 4-8. Our batters hit .235/.306/.417 and averaged 4 runs a game.

This is not going to be pretty.

Hot

Lourdes Gurriel: Played in 11 games, starting 9, hitting .400/.432/.629, with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts.

Started 2 games at first, 2 games as DH, 5 at LF. The problem with starting the season slow is that no one notices when you start hitting. He is about as maddening a left-fielder as you can have, an amazing arm (which had a couple of very inaccurate moments in the past two weeks), lots of speed, should have good range, but doesn’t. Then, occasionally, he makes an amazing catch. The way he is hitting he should be out there every day.

Teoscar Hernandez: Started all 12 games, hitting .313/.340/.688 with 3 doubles, 5 home runs, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts, 2 steals, and 1 caught.

Started one game in left and one at DH. His two-week period breaks nicely into a good week (1.028 OPS) and a bad week (.471 OPS). It seems like he suddenly figured out that he wasn’t supposed to be hitting. Maybe he didn’t check his email for a few days.

Santiago Espinal: Played in 11 games, 10 starts, hitting .313/.405/.344 with 1 double, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 2 steals.

All his starts were at third. Over the last couple of weeks, he would have made a very good leadoff hitter. Just the one extra-base hit, but then his average is 1 extra-base hits every a week. He’s been about as good as a guy could be who doesn’t have any power at all. I like him better as a utility player than a full-time guy but you play the hand you are dealt.

Cold

Reese McGuire: Played in 8 games, starting 6. Hit .222/.300/.333 with 2 doubles, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts.

He allowed 1, caught 2, had a wild pitch and a passed ball (when will they merge these two stats).

Marcus Semien: Started all 12 games, hitting .180/.268/.440 with 4 home runs, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts, 1 steal.

Started 3 games at short. I’ll note that he hit 4 home runs, and drove in 4 runs over the two weeks. The error the other day was awful, but he’s been very good defensively all season. He does seem to have hot and cold stretches.

Bo Bichette: Started 10 games, hitting .209/.277/.256 with 2 doubles, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts, and 2 steals.

DHed once. His shins must still be hurting. He’s been so good this year that I feel back about putting him here, but this is the game we are playing. He hasn’t had an error this month.

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 12 games, hitting .261/.382/.326 with 1 home run, 9 walks, 8 strikeouts, 1 stolen base.

DHed twice. I wish that everyone on the ‘cold’ list was getting on base 38% of the time. He’s having a tough go and still has walked more than he struck out. If he hit like this for the rest of the season, it would still be a great season.

Randal Grichuk: Played 11 games, starting 10, hitting .182/.289/.455 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 walks, and 9 strikeouts.

Started two games in right, the rest in center. If you mixed the start of his season with the last month of Gurriel’s season you’d have a pretty good player. That's a good slugging average. maybe deserves to be in the ‘in between group. He hasn’t had more than one hit in a game since August 6th. You would think that sometime along the line two flares would fall in.

Breyvic Valera: Played in 8 games, starting 4, hitting .000/.059/.000 with 1 walk.

Just 17 PA. Scoring that run bought him a warm place in my heart, but I don’t need to see him at the plate anymore.

In Between

Alejandro Kirk: Played in 9 games, starting 6, hitting .292/.308/.417 with 3 doubles, 0 walks, and 2 strikeouts.

Another whose two-week period splits nicely, in the last week he’s hit .364/.385/.545. I’d like him to get more playing time. Buck seems to have taken a personal disliking to him. Hopefully, Kirk will win him over. Allowed 3 steals, none caught. 4 wild pitches, 1 passed ball.

Corey Dickerson: Played in 11 games, 8 starts, hitting .219/.242/.500 with 3 home runs, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts.

The 3 home runs are great, but he isn’t getting on base. He had 2 home runs in 62 games with the Marlins and now has 3 in 18 games with the Jays. He hasn’t won me over yet, but if he keeps hitting home runs, and if he can get on base a bit more, he will.

Also Played

Kevin Smith: 10 at-bats, 1 hit, 4 strikeouts.

Otto Lopez: 1 at-bat and back to the minors.

Josh Palacios: Had 4 at-bats yesterday and had 4 strikeouts.

On the IL

Cavan Biggio: Apparently getting a second opinion on his elbow.

George Springer: We got video running yesterday. I’m hoping he is back soon.

Danny Jansen: Starting a rehab assignment. I’d imagine he will be back on September 1st.