The Toronto Blue Jays have not gotten off to a great start this season. The team is coming off of an underwhelming offseason where fans were expecting the ownership to make more moves and acquire high-profile players.
However, the only notable addition that the Jays made was third baseman Justin Turner. He hasn’t been horrible for the Jays to start the season, but he wasn’t the big star signing that fans were hoping the team would make.
In the summer, former Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani left the team and was available on the market. Being arguably the best player in the MLB, many teams were chasing his signature and the Blue Jays were one of them. Out of all the teams Shoehi spoke to, it came down to the Blue Jays and the Dodgers. Ultimately, Ohtani opted to sign for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Who are now favorites to win the World Series.
Missing out on Ohtani didn’t seem like that big of a deal, considering the roster the Jays have, but when the team’s best players aren’t playing to their highest level, it is. There were a lot of expectations placed on the star players Vladimir Guerrero jr and Bo Bichette. Both guys were coming off of great seasons for the Jays but weren’t consistent enough when they needed them most.
To start the season, neither guy has been at their best, with Guerrero being pretty poor. He has a .189 batting average which is the lowest he’s ever had with the Jays. Seven hits and four runs in ten games just isn’t what fans were hoping for. Bo Bichette has a dissapointing .194 batting average with two runs and six hits.
But there are still positives to take away from the team. George Springer has been the standout for the team so far. After having his highest hits tally since 2016, Springer has carried his form from last year to this year and arguably has been the Jays best player. He leads the team with home runs and has been great in the outfield too.
The Jays seem to have the same issues as last, which was a lack of consistent hitting. The front office didn’t make any moves to rectify that. Reporter Myles Ditcher says that “the future is coming fast, so Bichette and Guerrero gotta turn it around.” Luckily, other guys are stepping up. Justin Turner and Ernie Clemont have been the best batters statistically, with the highest batting percentages. While second year player Davis Schneider, has also been impressive. Tiktoker Divyansh Sunak says “Schneider has been insane and he’s not an everyday player, but he’s become reliable to the jays, and its been great to see.”
The Blue Jays currently sit at the bottom of a very competitive AL East division with a 4-6 record. With a tough no-hitter defeat and a 10-0 loss, it hasn’t been the season that the Jays have hoped for so far. But there is still promise, with Schneider and Springer and Bichette and Guerrero likely turning things around too. Pitching and outfield play haven’t been what’s holding them back, it’s just been their hitting. If the Blue Jays can start having consistent hitting, there’s no telling the heights they could reach this season.
Toronto Blue Jays Batting Average Leaders Infographic by Owen Matthews