TORONTO – Even fellow big-leaguers are impressed by Kendrys Morales’ current hot streak.
With homers in six consecutive games, the switch-hitter has tied a Blue Jays franchise record shared by Jose Cruz Jr.
“It’s stupid,” said starter Aaron Sanchez. “It’s unheard of.”
Though the last six games stand out most, Morales’ hot hitting dates back months now. Through May 17, he was hitting .146 with a .499 OPS. At that point he ditched his glasses and began an extended hot streak that has turned his season around. Since then he’s hitting .308/.380/.560 with 17 home runs.
“He’s been on a nice little roll for a good while,” manager John Gibbons said. “Early in the year he was chasing a lot of breaking balls and off-speed pitches down in the zone and that’s what was getting him into trouble. He’s laying off of those now and he’s hitting some breaking balls.”
On the season Morales now has a .263/.341/.477 batting line and leads the Blue Jays with 20 home runs.
“I feel really proud of what he’s doing right now, mostly because he’s a fellow Cuban,” Aledmys Diaz said through interpreter Josue Peley. “He’s a guy that’s been in the league forever. It’s nice what he’s doing but we’re not surprised. He’s a guy who puts the work in. Not only on the outside, but here in the clubhouse he’s a great guy. He’s a guy who’s been the same guy whether he’s doing good or bad, so I’m really proud of him.”
[snippet id=3305549]
DIAZ EMBRACING THIRD
With Josh Donaldson still on the disabled list and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. getting regular playing time at short, Diaz has been playing plenty of third base of late. He made a couple of strong defensive plays Saturday, a sign that he’s up to the challenge.
“It’s something new, but I feel very comfortable,” Diaz said. “I’ve been working hard with Luis (Rivera) during BP. It just makes me a little bit more versatile to play shortstop and third base and it’s actually helping the team as well. It’s something that I’m proud of and I think it’s going well so far.”
With Gurriel Jr. and top prospect Bo Bichette ascending within the organization, Gibbons recently suggested that Diaz could have a future as a utility player.
“He’s had a good year,” Gibbons said. “He has looked great playing third base, and he’s had a good year at shortstop for us. He’s got a great arm. I think he’s a guy who could play all (over the infield).”
NO ROOM FOR GARCIA
Jaime Garcia’s Blue Jays tenure effectively ended Saturday, as the Blue Jays designated him for assignment to create space for Aaron Sanchez on the active roster. The $10 million investment in the left-hander simply didn’t pay off, as Garcia struggled as a starter and missed time with shoulder inflammation.
Eventually he shifted to the bullpen, where his work left a positive impression on Gibbons.
“He really did a nice job down there,” the manager said. “I would think somebody would take a shot on him (based on) what he did in the bullpen for us. And we’ve got some young kids coming up, so there probably wasn’t going to be a whole lot of work for him form here on out.”
[relatedlinks]
Once rosters expand in September, the Blue Jays figure to call up relief help, including Danny Barnes. Other potential call-ups include outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. and catcher Reese McGuire, both of whom are already on the 40-man roster.
Garcia pitched 13 innings in relief, striking out 13 hitters while allowing eight hits and seven walks. He held opponents to a .170/.278/.319 batting line out of the bullpen after allowing a .279/.364/.512 line in the rotation.
“He’s a pro. He had a tough year as a starter, but he kept working at it,” Gibbons said.
ROTATION COULD EXPAND
Thomas Pannone will make another start while Marcus Stroman’s blister heals, but even once Stroman returns the Blue Jays don’t necessarily need to remove someone from the rotation.
“In September if you go with six guys, that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Gibbons said.
The Blue Jays have just two scheduled off days during the season’s final month.
