Toronto Blue Jays: Stock up, stock down

One of the best pure hitters in baseball since his arrival in 2019, Bichette is hitting .319 with 35 extra-base hits and 48 RBI, and he is also getting the job done with the glove. With two defensive runs saved on the season, it would mark the first year as a professional that he wasn't one of the worst on his team.

Still only 25 years old, Bichette has been the driving force behind the Blue Jays offense after Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s slow start to his season.

Jose Berrios, pitcher: Acquired at the trade deadline in 2021, Berrios had a disastrous season with the Blue Jays in 2022. He posted a 12-7 record with a 5.23 ERA, leading the AL in both hits allowed with 199 and runs allowed with 100.

This season has been the opposite. After a shaky start in the month of April, Berrios has only gotten better as the year has moved along. 

Over his last seven starts, Berrios is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA and has turned his season around to the point he might be having a career year in 2023. Finally looking like a pitcher worth the seven-year, $131M contract extension he received in 2021, the Blue Jays hope his strong performance continues for years to come.

Stock Down

Alek Manoah, pitcher: After placing third in the AL Cy Young Award race last season, Manoah has experienced one of the biggest falls in MLB history. Posting a 16-7 record with a 2.24 ERA and making the All-Star team in only his second season in MLB last year, 2023 has not been kind to Manoah.

With a 1-7 record and 6.36 ERA, he has allowed 42 walks in only 58 innings pitched compared to the 51 he allowed in 196 2/3 inning pitched last year.

Recently sent down to the Blue Jays minor league complex in Florida, Manoah was hammered in his first start versus mostly 18- and 19-year-olds. Allowing 11 runs over 2 and 2/3 innings pitched, there is cause for major concern with what looked like a potential franchise ace before the season started. 

Matt Chapman, third base: In the month of April that saw him bring home the AL Player of the Month Award, Chapman had a .372 average with 20 extra-base hits and 20 RBI in 26 games. 

Since then it has been a rough time for the third baseman. In 52 games played in May and June, Chapman is batting .205 with only 16 extra-base hits and 15 RBI. While he's still one of the best players in baseball defensively, the massive dip in production is concerning. 

To make it worse for Chapman, all of this is going on in his contract year. He will need to turn it around at the plate, or it could cost him a ton of money in the open market.