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

This was written before Monday’s game.

Well, this is going to be so much fun.

The Blue Jays were 3-9. And you likely know, our hitters had a terrible time of it, hitting .213/.279/.320 averaging 3.2 runs a game, which isn’t going to get it done.

Hot

Santiago Espinal: Started all 12 games. Hit .316/.386/.474 with 6 doubles, 5 walks and 7 strikeouts.

He has been great. I thought he played at the top of what we could expect from him, but maybe I was wrong.

Alejandro Kirk: Started 11 of the 12 games. Hit .290/.333/.447 with 1 home run, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.

He was the catcher in 6 games and DH in 5. His defense looks much better than I thought it would. In his 6 games behind the plate, there were 4 stolen base attempts, and he threw out 2 of them. His framing seems good. And, unlike his teammates, he’s been hitting the ball well. A little more power would be ok, but I don’t think we’d complain a lot if he hit like this all season.

Cold

Matt Chapman: Started all 12 games. Hit .103/.200/.205 with 1 double, 1 home run, 5 walks and 11 strikeouts.

I think cold is too mild a word. He’s had 4 hits in two weeks. And he made 2 errors yesterday. I was hopeful that he would bounce back from his poor 2021 season.

Lourdes Gurriel: Started all 12 games. Hit .116/.174/.337 with 2 doubles, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts.

He started 11 of the games in left and 1 at first base. He had a pretty decent start to the season. But he’s ruined that with a lousy May (to this point). It is too bad because he got a few games in the cleanup spot. It would have helped the team out if he had hit well in that spot.

George Springer: Played in 11 games, starting 10. Hit .222/.268/.361 with 1 home run, 3 walks and 11 strikeouts.

Started 4 of those games at DH, the rest in CF. And, of course, he missed that game after spraining his ankle. He had 6 hits in these 2 weeks, but they came in a 4 games stretch. We do much better when he’s hitting.

Raimel Tapia: Played in 11 games, starting 8. Hit .212/.235/.212 with 1 walk and 11 strikeouts.

He hasn’t been good. We keep being told that he doesn’t strike out, but he’s got a 20.9% strikeout rate this year. Not terrible, but not ‘doesn’t strike out.’ Now, if they said he doesn’t walk, I’d agree 2.7% walk rate. If he could walk some with his speed, it would help make him a useful player.

Zack Collins: Play in 6 games, starting 4. Hit .067/.177/.133 with 1 double, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.

The little bit of magic pixie dust he had at the start of the season has worn off. As always, start hot. People still think he is hitting well weeks later. I’m ok with working with him and seeing if you can turn him into someone who can occasionally hit a ball out, but I don’t think he will be a valuable major league player.

Teoscar Hernandez: Started 7 games. Hit .143/.143/.250 with 1 home run, 0 walks, and 11 strikeouts.

I’m willing to give him a mulligan since he just came off the IL. But he does need to turn on the bat soon.

Bo Bichette: Started all 12 games. Hit .277/.346/.383 with 5 doubles, 5 walks and 12 strikeouts.

His average and OBP are pretty ok, but no power at all. You could bring the two weeks into two parts. The last week was awful. The week before, he hit .360. I don’t know what’s going on with him. It looked like he had things figured out, but no. Like everyone else, he’s a streak hitter.

Inbetween

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 12. Hit .289/.373/.400 with 1 home run, 4 walks and 7 strikeouts.

He played first 11 times, and DHed 1 time. I have a hard time saying a guy who got on base 37% of the time was “cold.” But still, he hasn’t been Vladimir Guerrero. So I don’t know, you can move him, in your head, to the ‘Cold’ group. I don’t mind.

Also Played

Bradley Zimmer: Played in 7 games, starting 3. Hit .100/.100/.100 with 6 strikeouts and 1 streal.

I don’t mind him as a late-inning defensive replacement or in the Manfred Man spot. But I’d rather him not be batting if they can help it.

Tyler Heineman: Played in 5 games, starting 3. Hitting .143/.143/.286 with a double.

The Pirates took him off waivers. I’m not sure I wouldn’t rather have kept him and lost Collins.

Danny Jansen: Played in 2 started 1. Hit .333/.600/1.333 with 2 home runs and 1 walk.

5 total at-bats since coming off the IL.

On the IL

Cavan Biggio: Has started a rehab assignment in Buffalo. He is 5 for 13 there.