Looking at the Jays batters over the last two weeks.
The Jays were 6-6 over the past two weeks.
Our batters hit .259/.331/.343, averaging 3.6 runs per game.
Hot
George Springer: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hit .364/.421/.636 with 1 double, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 7 RBI, 1 steal, 4 walks and 9 strikeouts.
Started 2 games in center, 1 as designated hitter, and the rest in right field. And, of course, he’s hurt. But the team is saying day-to-day. Hopefully, he won’t be out long. I’m not sure he isn’t a better choice for leadoff than Bo, but it will take a while before the team starts considering that. His defense has been interesting. He doesn’t give me much confidence when going after a ball, but he seems to make most of the plays. FanGraphs has him at a -2 in Outs Above Average, but it is early. I hope he is back in the lineup soon.
Myles Straw: Played in 10 games, starting 6. Hit .435/.480/.652 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 1 steal, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.
He’s played center field and pinch-hit and pinch-ran. He’s been terrific. I’m not a believer, but I’d put him out there and ride the hot streak as long as it lasts. He has an eight-game hitting streak (not counting games he didn’t make it to the plate). When Daulton Varsho is back, there will be a question of (when both are in the lineup) who plays center and who plays left. Both are excellent outfielders.
Tyler Heineman: Played in 6 games, starting 5. Hit .474/.500/.579 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI, 1 steal, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.
Tyler is going to end up getting pinch-hitting opportunities. He’s had at least one hit in every game he’s started. The “always start the season hot” is even better when you are the backup catcher. It will take a while before his numbers drop (if they do) to his usual, and he’ll look great through midseason. He has been fun to watch. He has thrown out 3 of 8 basestealers, 37.5%.
Cold
Vladimir Guerrero: Played in 12 games, starting 11. Hit .292/.359/.333 with 2 doubles, 4 RBI, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.
He started one game at DH and the rest at first. His .292 isn’t cold, but he hasn’t had a home run yet. He is cold for Vlad Guerrero. He is hitting the ball hard; his hard-hit percentage is in the 84th percentile, and his bat speed is in the 92nd percentile. He had a slow start last year, too. He hit just .188 on April 15th last year, with 2 home runs. He’s also had a couple of mess-ups in the field. We’ll be happy if he keeps hitting about .300 and starts hitting home runs.
Andrés Giménez: Played in 12 games, starting 11. Hit .186/.280/.209 with 1 double, 3 RBI, 4 steals, 5 walks and 11 strikeouts.
He had a great first five games (always start the season hot; people won’t notice when you’ve stopped hitting). Unfortunately, we are looking at game six onward. His defense has been all that was advertised. He did have a bit of a bobble on an extra-inning ground ball with a runner on third. I hoped to see him make a throw to the plate, but it didn’t happen. I don’t know that he would have made the out, but it would have been close. I like the speed. Having a guy you can count on to steal a base is nice. He could end up with 40+ steals.
Ernie Clement: Played in 11 games, starting 9. Hit .194/.257/.226 with 1 double, 3 RBI, 1 steal, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.
He’s played third base. He’s another who is having a slow start. He’s taking more walks than last year. In 2024, he didn’t have his first base on balls, until his 24th game. I like his defense at third base, but he isn’t hitting like someone I want to see play third. Last year, he had a 95 OPS+; this year, he’s at 52.
Bo Bichette: Started all 12 games. Hit .273/.305/.327 with 3 doubles, 9 RBI, 2 walks, and 12 strikeouts.
Played short in all 12 games. We keep being told that he’s back, but this doesn’t seem like he’s back. He looked great the first four games of the season. Buck is back on the ‘Bo is best with two strikes. Last year, he seemed to stop telling us that. He’s made a couple of errors at shortstop, but I think he’s looked better defensively. It likely helps that he’s beside a Gold Glove second baseman and can play a little further towards third base. Maybe should be in the ‘inbetween’ group, but hasn’t shown much power.
Anthony Santander: Started all 12 games. Hit .208/.283/.333 with 3 doubles, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 5 walks and 12 strikeouts.
Started four games in right, two in left and six as DH. For his career, Santander has always been a slow starter. His career OPS is .651 in April. Perhaps he isn’t a good cold-weather hitter. It’s good that he’s finally hit a home run. Hopefully, that will be the start of him turning things around. He isn’t a good outfielder, but we need the DH spot for others to have the odd day off.
Will Wagner: Played in 8 games, started 7. Hit.120/.267/.120 with 2 RBI, 5 walks and 6 strikeouts.
He started four games at third, two at DH, one at first. His first few games went well. On April first, he was hitting .389/.389/.500, but he’s had just one hit since then.
Davis Schneider: Played in 7 games, starting 4. Hitting .091/.333/.091 with 1 RBI, 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.
He started four games in left and one at second. He finally got a hit Sunday, though one hit in 21 PA isn’t much better. He’s up because he’s a RHB, but he’s hitting lefties worse than most LHB would hit lefties. It is tough when you don’t play every day, but then that’s his job, and if you can’t do it your job….. He is lucky that Orelvis Martinez isn’t hitting much in Buffalo because he is the obvious replacement. I was surprised when Davis made the roster, but if you felt he should be on the roster, you have to give him more than 21 PA to change your mind. How many more is a good question.
Inbetween
Alejandro Kirk: Started 8 games. Hit.258/.303/.387 with 1 home run, 2 RBI, 2 walk, and 5 strikeouts.
Started 7 games as catcher, 1 as DH. He’s started slowly, but yesterday’s home run is a hopeful sign. He’s thrown out 22.2% of base stealers (the league average is 17.8%).
Alan Roden: Played in 11 games, starting 8. Hit .267/.353/.300 with 1 double, 1 RBI, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
He has started in right field in three games, the rest in left. He’s getting on base. I’d like to see him get some extra base hits, which will likely come. Buck has been on his bandwagon, which is nice to see. Occasionally, I think he should focus on what Roden is actually doing, not so much what he thinks Alan can do.