Every Friday, Blue Jays Talk host Scott MacArthur will weigh in with his observations on the Blue Jays from the past week.
The Toronto Blue Jays are returning to Rogers Centre following a frustrating six-game, eight-day road trip which saw them behave in a way a team in transition typically functions — unable to put it together in all facets of the game consistently enough.
The homecoming gift which awaits? The AL East-leading, 10-3, Tampa Bay Rays who come to town on a four-game winning streak. The Blue Jays will get a steady diet of how the Rays roll, beginning with an “opener” in right-hander Ryne Stanek on Friday and then Tampa Bay’s two best starters, defending AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell on Saturday and righty Charlie Morton on Sunday. Thanks a lot.
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Some things I’m thinking as I observe this group:
I find myself anticipating Freddy Galvis’ next plate appearance. It feels as though something is going to go right in a Blue Jays’ rally if his spot in the lineup comes due.
Galvis enters play Friday on a six-game hitting streak, four multi-hit games so far (including three of his last four games capped with a four-hit effort in Boston on Thursday), and currently leads the club with four home runs.
It’s early, yes, and regression is to be expected based on Galvis’ career numbers. As of now, however, Galvis is hitting more balls on a line (25.8% of fair ball contact) than he is on the ground (22.6%). Per Statcast, Galvis is in the 76th percentile for batted ball exit velocity and in the 80th percentile for expected slugging percentage (xSLG).
Enjoy it while it lasts and while it does, keep him in the top third of the order!
Rowdy Tellez sure can hit the crap out of a baseball. Which gets me to thinking, how exactly is this all going to play out when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gets the call to the big leagues?
If Vladdy gets a long crack at playing third base then the Tellez/Justin Smoak first base/designated hitter situation continues to play out. If it becomes clear, soon, Vladdy needs to shift across the diamond then Smoak — whose time in Toronto likely won’t exceed the end of this season at the latest — becomes the subject of intense trade speculation.
As it stands the Blue Jays are carrying two extra middle infielders. Richard Urena has options but — in a meritorious world — deserves to remain in Toronto based on his early season performance. Alen Hanson, acquired from San Francisco in the Kevin Pillar trade, is out of options and would have to be designated off the 40-man roster and exposed to waivers prior to being sent to the minor leagues.
Decisions, decisions.
Also, as of this publishing, Statcast still hasn’t posted an estimated distance for Tellez’s monster home run on Thursday at Fenway Park. This after an initial estimation of 505 feet, which would make it the longest ever at the fabled stadium. So it either did or did not usurp Ted Williams’ 502-foot blast, commemorated by a red seat in right centre-field, hit in 1946. We’re interested only in the correct distance, Williams’ greatness is in no way diminished. Get it right and don’t worry about hurt feelings or controversy.
Did you see Vladdy’s home run in Scranton on Thursday night? If not, Twitter or Google search it. His bat, ahem, is quickly coming around and service time is of no consequence effective Apr. 12. Vladdy cannot accrue the 172 days of major league service time necessary to count for one of the six full years required for free agency eligibility, meaning the Blue Jays will control his rights through to the end of the 2025 season. With the offence showing signs of life, I, like you, am eager to see Vladdy’s best plopped into the middle of the order.
Here was the scenario on Thursday night: Blue Jays, leading 6-5 in the top of the ninth, had the bases loaded and one out. Socrates Brito, the nine-hole hitter who’s without a hit since joining the Jays, was due up. He promptly struck out on three Marcus Walden pitches. The Jays didn’t score, closer Ken Giles gave up two runs in the bottom half of the ninth and Toronto lost.
So, you ask, why didn’t manager Charlie Montoyo pinch hit for Brito? My answer. Montoyo absolutely does pinch hit for Brito if the Blue Jays are losing 6-5 in the same scenario. But, with the lead, Montoyo must also consider defence in preservation of the lead and Brito/Billy McKinney occupying the corner outfield spots in the bottom of the ninth is the better option than McKinney (who would have shifted from left to right field) and Teoscar Hernandez.
Brito simply didn’t do his job. With his speed, he’s a difficult double play candidate. If he puts the ball in play, provided the ball is put somewhere which negates the force out play at the plate, the Jays score a run. Striking out for a low-power, speed, bat-on-the-ball guy like Brito can’t happen there.
My fingers are crossed for Ryan Borucki. It feels like we need an update on his situation, no?
Lastly, here’s to Clay Buchholz, who makes his Blue Jays debut on Saturday. He’s a personable dude who’s been a good pitcher for a long time. Let’s see what he brings.
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