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

Over the past two weeks, the Jays were 7-6.

Our batters had a .291/.350/.485 line. That looks pretty good. They averaged 5.7 runs per game.

Hot

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 13 games. Hit .321/.400/.642, with 5 home runs, 6 walks and 9 strikeouts.

He started 10 games at first, 3 at DH. And played a couple of innings at third, but didn’t get a ball hit at him. He drove in 12 runs in the 13 games. After the moment that he and Bo had when Bo couldn’t call him off a pop fly, I noticed that Santiago Espinal called a pop fly and Vlad peeled off. So, maybe there was a learning moment. The moment he looked like he might be hurt in yesterday’s game was the quietest I’ve heard Rogers Centre. I don’t know if it was concern over a player or concern over someone the fans have grown to love. You know a player is great when he has a 1.043 OPS over two weeks, and you think, ‘but he could have done better’. Which is totally unfair to Vlad.

Lourdes Gurriel: Started 11 games. Hit .364/.387/.591, with 2 home runs, 1 walk and 10 strikeouts.

Ten of the starts were in left field, one as DH. He played some innings at first as well. Yesterday’s grand slam was one of the great moments of the season so far. He’s also just off a 10-game hitting streak. Lourdes had 19 hits over those 10 games. I think we will have to just deal with his slow starts and wait for him to get hitting each season. When he does get hitting, he’s great. He seems to be much better at going back on balls in left field, but he hasn’t been getting the assists from the outfield that he has in the past. Maybe teams have figured out that he has a great arm.

Alejandro Kirk: Played in 12 games, starting 10. Hit .308/.426/.436, with 1 home run, 6 walks and 7 strikeouts.

Started 6 games at catcher and 4 at DH. Over the two weeks, he has allowed one steal and caught to batters. He also picked Josh Donaldson off first. So it was a good couple of weeks for his arm. He’s cooled off a bit since moving into the cleanup spot, but then that counts the series with the Yankees, where a few guys didn’t hit much. He only had one hit in the series, a home run. I really enjoy watching him hit.

Teoscar Hernandez: Started 12 games. Hit .306/.346/.551 with 3 home runs, 3 walks and 14 strikeouts.

Started 2 games at DH, and had a couple of innings in left. It is good to have him back hitting the way he did last year. On May 24th, Teoscar had an OPS of .465, now it is at .729. His reaction after his home run yesterday was perfect. The team needed that moment. Or at least we fans needed that moment.

Matt Chapman: Started 9 games. Hit .257/.316/.514, with 2 home runs, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts.

Kind of hot lite. But since he is battling a wrist issue, I think he is doing pretty well. I’m not a fan of the mustache, but if he were to hit like this for the rest of the season, I think we would be more than happy.

Raimel Tapia: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hit .314/.314/.543 with 1 home run, 0 walks and 4 strikeouts.

I wish he would take some walks, but a .543 slugging average is good. Started 3 games in left, 3 in right and 3 in center. I’d love to see him steal more too, but he does have to pick his moments. It is nice to see his hard contact paying off. I do wonder if pitchers will stop throwing him strikes. But we’ll worry about that when it happens.

Gabriel Moreno: 5 starts. Hit .421/.450/.421. 1 walk and 1 strikeout.

All 8 hits were singles. On defense he has thrown out 2 of 6 base stealers. It is great we get to see him play, though too bad it took an injury to Jansen for it to happen.

Cold

George Springer: Started 12 games. Hit .208/.309/.375 with 2 home runs, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts and 2 steals.

Started 3 of the games at DH, the rest in center. He had a four-game hitless streak in there. Everyone deserves a few days of downtime now and then. His average has dropped from .282 to .264 in the past week. But then, a hot week could get him back up to where he was.

Cavan Biggio: Played in 10 games, starting 9. Hit .194/.306/.323 with 5 walks and 10 strikeouts.

Started 6 games at second and 3 games at first, I thought he was hitting well when he returned from rehab, but that was only for a few games. He’s gotta hit better than this.

Inbetween

Santiago Espinal: Played in 13 games, starting 12. Hit .275/.289/.392 with 1 home run, 1 walk and 10 strikeouts.

Started 7 games at second, 4 at third and 1 at short. He wasn’t cold, but he wasn’t up to his usual level. I’d like Charlie to move him up in the order against lefties and down against right-handers. He’s hitting .340/.419/.566 against LHP, .260/.300/.379 against RHP. Small sample size and all, but he’s been much the same in the past. Of course, I’m not going to take the time to see if Charlie has been moving him up in the order against lefties.

Bo Bichette: Started 12 games. Hit .294/.346/.431 with 2 home runs, 3 walks and 13 strikeouts.

He missed the one game after fouling the ball off his foot. His first day off of the season. He played 159 games last year. Not hot but pretty good.

Also Played

Bradley Zimmer: Played in 9 games, starting 1. Hit .143/.333/.286 with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.

Just 9 plate appearances. I’m good with him in this role.

Zach Collins: Played in 2 games, had 4 at-bats, 2 hits, 1 double, 1 home run and 1 strikeout.

If you are called up for a couple of games, that’s the way you should do it.

DL

Danny Jansen: They are saying he should be back in early July.