The past two weeks haven’t exactly been kind to the Toronto Blue Jays in the standings, but that’s not really what this season is about for the rebuilding club. The 2019 campaign is about about progress, not points, in Toronto, and in that sense, manager Charlie Montoyo views the club’s recent road trip as a big success.
“I thought I would never say I was happy with a 2-4 road trip,” Montoyo said of the past week on the road in Boston (2-1) and New York (0-3) during an appearance on Baseball Central on Friday. “But we played so good.”
Thursday was the team’s first day off after 16 straight game days, which also included a three-game series against the Houston Astros (2-1). Montoyo was impressed by the demeanour of his young team.
“Our rookies are not intimidated playing the Houston Astros, they’re not intimidated going into Boston, they were not intimidated playing the Yankees,” Montoyo said. “We’re really playing good baseball.”
Montoyo spoke highly of the club’s rookies and younger players and said he has been particularly impressed by the performance of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who has flourished in his new role as an outfielder since returning from a minor-league stint last month. Gurriel started the MLB season as an infielder, but poor at-bats and too many errors on defence led to him being pulled from a game and in need of a confidence boost.
With a current slash line of .304/.351/.615 (.347/.385/.727 with 12 home runs in the 31 games since his return) and a seemingly smooth transition to left field, it certainly looks like he found it.
“I’ll tell you what: Gurriel, making that adjustment to go to the outfield … that quick, you have to want it. And he wanted it. And right now he’s becoming one of the best left fielders in baseball,” Montoyo said. “He’s swinging the bat and he’s throwing people out… He’s accurate and he’s got a good arm and he’s quick out there. He’s done a great job.”
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