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

Yeah, this isn’t going to be fun.

Over the past two weeks, the Jays are 6-7 (really? At the moment, I can’t remember a win). Our batters hit .243/.313/.381 and averaged 3.5 runs per game (the two weeks before, it was 5.4).

Hot

Whit Merrifield: Starting 12. Hit .333/.417/.404 with 3 doubles, 2 steals, 3 times caught, 5 walks and 5 strikeouts.

He started 7 games at second base, 5 in left field. Being caught 3 of 5 steals is troubling, but, on the season, he is 18 for 23. I think teams are expecting him to try to steal third now. He spent his last three games hitting in the two spot, going .250/.305/.250, but that’s a very small sample. I like trying him there. He’s been one of the few pleasant surprises this season.

Daulton Varsho: Played in 13 games, starting 12. Hit .279/.360/.465 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 steals, 6 walks and 12 strikeouts.

Started 5 of the games in center, the rest in left. This is the Varsho I hoped we’d get. I’m not thinking that there won’t be cold stretches, but this is what I hoped we were getting. June has been very good, with an OPS of .896. Let’s hope it continues. I’d like them to put him in the 3 spot in the order and leave him there. Or the five spot. Stop moving him around, stop riding the latest hot streak. Just say you are the guy, and this is your spot. And don’t pinch-hit for him. I get that he doesn’t hit lefties as well, but don’t pinch-hit for him.

George Springer: Played in 13 games, starting 12. Hit ..292/.359/.500 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts, 1 steals.

Started all the games in RF. Remember how he started slow, and everyone wanted him out of the leadoff spot? Moving him over to right field seems to have worked the way we wanted it to. He’s been pretty healthy (yes, I’m knocking on wood at this moment).

Danny Jansen: Played in 7 games, starting 5. Hit .261/.261/.696 with 1 double, 3 home runs, 0 walks and 7 strikeouts.

One of the starts was at DH. You get funny numbers in small samples. No walks but 4 extra-base hits out of 6 hits. Far be it from me to suggest he get injured every season, but it does seem like he comes back from the IL trying to make up for lost time.

Cold

Kevin Kiermaier: Played in 12 games, starting 9 games. Hit .120/.241/.120 with no extra-base hits, 2 steals, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.

The definition of cold? He seems totally lost. May’s OPS 1.044. June’s .372. I don’t know, maybe there is an injury we don’t know about. Baseball is a lot easier if players wore a sign that said they were hot or cold. The problem is, you don’t know when a hot streak has ended or when it begins.

Alejandro Kirk: On the IL now. Played 11 games, starting 8. Hit .219/.242/.250 with 0 home runs, 0 walks and 3 strikeouts. And, of course, 1 hit by pitch.

7 of the starts were at Catcher 1 as DH. He was at the top of the hot list two weeks before. Every time John figures someone is hitting well and should be tried in the 5 spot, they go cold (or get hurt) (or both). As someone inconsistent at everything, I should understand why sometimes players are world-beaters, and sometimes they look like they have never played the game.

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 13 games. He hit .234 with no extra-base hits, 6 walks and 9 strikeouts and 2 caught stealing

Dhed 4 times, first base 9 games. I don’t know. He has been hitting the ball hard the last few days, but, when it looks like an extra-base hit is going to happen, it gets caught. He’s also had a couple of errors in this past week. I don’t know the answer. No he’s not going to Buffalo. No, he’s not going to be traded. Maybe they should try unplugging him and plugging him back in?

Bo Bichette: Started all 13 games. Hit .241/.255/.444 with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts.

Started all 13 games at short. He only has 1 walk this month. Maybe being the only guy hitting is getting to him. He does seem anxious at the plate. He’s also had 3 errors over the two weeks after not making an error for a month. Sometimes I think he takes hitting issues into the field with him (very visibly the other day), but his defense has been so good this season.

Matt Chapman: Started 11 games. Hit .146/.200/.244 with 1 double, 1 home run, 3 walks and 16 strikeouts.

Played every game at third base. Matt had a 1.152 OPS in April and .585 in May. June is .533 so far. Always start the season hot, but then at some point, you ought to have another hot stretch. I always roll my eyes when someone starts off hot, and the broadcasters tell you that he has figured it out. He’s totally fixed. And then, well.....May happens. It takes them a month too long to catch on that he’s stopped, and you keep being told how he’s revamped everything. I’m expecting there will be a hot stretch again. But I don’t know that I’d re-sign him.

Santiago Espinal: Played in 10 games, starting 6. Hit .217/.357/.261 with 1 double, 4 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Back from the IL. He hasn’t been hitting well at all this season. We thought he would be in for a regression after doing so well last year (or at least for the first half of last year). He’s good as a utility infielder, but I don’t want to see him be a full-time infielder.

In Between

Cavan Biggio: Played in 9 games, starting 6. Hit .200/.238/.500 with 2 home runs, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts, and 1 caught stealing.

I don’t know. Hot because of the 2 home runs? Cold because he’s getting on base 24% of the time? He had a bit of a hot streak but seems to be back to the guy it was earlier in the season.

Also Played

Nathan Lukes: Played in 3 games, starting 1. In 5 Plate Appearances, he’s had 8 hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

It’s pretty tough to call a guy up, play him a couple of times in a month and expect him to perform. I’d imagine we’ll see him again.

Tyler Heineman: Played in 3 games, starting 2. In 4 Plate Appearances, he’s had 2 hits, 1 walk.

And he’s back.

Spencer Horwitz: Played 2 games. Had 8 PA, 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Maybe he’ll be the one call-up who actually gets some playing time?

Ernie Clement: Played in 1 game and had 1 PA. Is he still on the team? Yes, yes, he is. Someone tell John.

IL

Brandon Belt: Started 5 games. Hit .294/368/.588 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.

He should be back pretty soon.