Toronto Blue Jays centre-fielder Kevin Pillar is once again hoping this is the year things click for him at the plate.
Pillar saw his on-base percentage drop for the second consecutive season in 2017, finishing at .300. His .256 batting average was his lowest mark since his 36-game rookie season in 2012.
But another off-season of adjustments has provided hope heading into 2018, where the 29-year-old has carried a .448/.484/.690 slash line through 11 spring training games.
Sportsnet’s Michael Hoad predicted Pillar would be batting eighth in the Blue Jays lineup when the regular season gets underway, and while the West Hills, Calif., native conceded that he – like any other player – would prefer to bat high in the order, he’ll be ready to go no matter where manager John Gibbons slots him.
“My job is to just go out there and be productive wherever they put me at, understand that we got some really good hitters in our lineup and not a lot of lineups are constructed like this where you have four, five, six guys that can be middle-of-the-order bats on any given team,” said Pillar, during an appearance on Sportsnet’s Starting Lineup on Friday. “So, I just kind of fit in where I fit in.”
You can listen to the full interview in the player below:
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