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

The Jays were 7-6 over the past two weeks.

Our batters hit .259/.337/.431 and averaged 5.2 runs per game, a nice jump up from 2.9 per game the two weeks before.

Hot

Bo Bichette: Started 13 of 13 games. Hit .321/.333/.491 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts, and 10 RBI.

Bo started every game at short. I would like them to give him a day off here and there and let him DH. He had 1 error. The zero walks stand out. He had six multi-hit games in the 13. He is the hitter he is. He’s going to chase pitches, but he’s also going to hit a lot of balls hard. He runs hot and cold during a season, but he seems to end up in the same place each year. A little more plate discipline might make him more consistent. He has been very good this year with two strikes (Buck seems to have stopped talking about it). He’s hitting .241/.304/.410 after two strikes, which is very good. Likely a small sample size thing.

Vladimir Guerrero: Started all 13 games. Hit .353/.441/.490 with 4 doubles, 1 home run, 8 walks, 7 strikeouts and 6 RBI.

He DHed twice and played first in all the others. I’d still like him in the leadoff spot, at least until he starts hitting with power, presuming he will start hitting with power. It he is getting on base nearly half the time, maybe we should put him in the spot where that is more useful. I like any player who gets on base that much.

Cavan Biggio: Played 8 games, starting 5. Hit .294/.429/.471, with 1 home run, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 3 RBI (and 1 hit by pitch).

He played at third twice, right field twice, and second twice, as well pinch running twice and pinch-hitting once. He started the season great and then had a downstretch. Hopefully, this is the start of a long hot streak.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Played in all 13 games, starting 12. He’s hit .279/.340/.535 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 5 RBI

He’s played third in 8 games, second 4 games, and a couple of innings at short. He’s a contact hitter, and he’s making hard contact lately. His defense has been all that we were told it would be. Amazingly, he started this two-week period with a five-game hitless streak (8 games total). Now he is on an 8 game hitting streak. I’d like him hitting second while he’s hit. Of course, figuring out when the streaks start and end isn’t all that easy and chasing the hot bat is the wrong way to do things.

Danny Jansen: Played in 10 games, starting 9. Hit .300/.364/.450 with 3 doubles, 1 home run, 6 RBI, 4 walks and 9 strikeouts.

He threw out 3 of 10 base stealers (he had only thrown out two before that this year. He’s hitting .258/.361/.438 in the second spot, so I’m good with leaving him there. I’ve enjoyed watching him play all these years, and I hope to get to see him play for many more years.

Alejandro Kirk: Played in 5 games, starting 4. Hit .400/.471/.467 with 1 double, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts and 3 RBI.

A very small sample size, but we’ll take it. He was also 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter. He was 1 for 2 in throwing out base stealers, he’s been excellent at that this year. I don’t know how long he’d have to keep up the hot streak before he’d get more playing time.

Daniel Vogelbach: Played in 6 games, 4 starts. Hit .333/.385/.667 with 1 double, 1 home run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts and 1 RBI.

Very small sample size, but he seems to be earning more at-bats.

Cold

Kevin Kiermaier: Played in 12 games, starting 9. Hit .172/.250/.345 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts and 0 RBI.

He’s having a terrible time with the bat. And he’s not hitting RHP any better than LHP. I don’t know that his glove can carry his bat right now.

Justin Turner: Played in 12, starting 9. Hit .114/.262/.143 with 1 double, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts, and 4 RBI.

He started 2 games at first, the rest as DH. He’s not hitting at all. I don’t know if we have hit the ‘release him’ stage, yet, but we could be getting there. He was so good at the start of the season that I know they would like to give him time to get hot again.

Ernie Clement: Played in 8 games, starting 4. Hit .177/.177/.235 with 1 double.

He’s seeing his playing time disappear, which only makes sense since he isn’t hitting. I’m all for bringing up Martinez or Barger if they would give them at-bats and give them a long stretch to prove themselves. But then this team doesn’t tend to do that.

Inbetween

Davis Schneider: Played in 13 games, starting 12. Hit .229/.328/.458, 5 doubles, 2 home run, 8 walks, 15 strikeouts, and 12 RBI.

He started 5 games in left and 7 games in second. Not hot for him, but we’ll take it. I’d rather him not be in the leadoff spot, but then he’s likely as good as anyone there. He’s hitting .228/.319/.456 hitting leadoff. He sees a lot of pitches, which is good for a leadoff hitter (or any hitter, for that matter). I like him in left better than second, but Outs Above Average has him at a 0 (average) in both spots.

Daulton Varsho: Started 12 games. Hit .196/.260/.457 with 2 home runs, 1 double, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 4 walks, 14 strikeouts, and 11 RBI

He started four games in center, and the rest were in left. He’s not hitting much, but when he does, he hits the ball hard. I don’t like him batting second, but someone has to. He leads the team (and third in the MLB) in Outs Above Average at 8.

George Springer: Started 11 games. He’s hit ..229/.364/.371 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 8 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 5 RBI.

He started hitting this last week, with a .375/.524/.625 stretch. It's only been 21 at-bats, but I want to be hopeful. That he had twice as many walks and strikeouts is a good sign. He has been swinging at strikes and taking balls lately.