Blue Jays: An overivew of the bats since the start of May

The Everyday Players

Addison Barger has been the Blue Jays’ breakout player this season, and he’s done most of his damage in May (while experiencing the uptick in playing time since his mid-April callup). He’s hit .275, with two homers, eight doubles, nine RBIs, and a .798 OPS in 24 games, taking advantage of the everyday playing time at third base since Andrés Giménez was placed on the IL with a quad strain on May 8th. 

Ernie Clement has done an admirable job of taking over at second base and went on a tear during the first two weeks of May, hitting .341 with four doubles, one home run, three RBIs, and a .861 OPS over 12 games. He’s cooled off considerably since then, with a .163 average, .428 OPS, and zero extra-base hits over the last 13 games.

Alejandro Kirk has been the Blue Jays’ most consistent hitter this month. The 26-year-old is batting .343 with a homer, nine RBIs, and a .803 OPS across 21 May contests. He’s walked seven times, only struck out four times, and shown little wear despite playing behind the plate ~70% of the time.

Daulton Varsho returned to the lineup on April 29th following offseason rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder. Since returning, the former 2nd-round pick has injected some life into the offense. Since May 1st, Varsho is hitting .190 with seven home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .734 OPS. 12 of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one triple, and the home runs), and he’s been making his usual highlight-reel catches in centerfield.

For the first month of the season, George Springer was the most productive hitter on the team. He’s scuffled over the past few weeks but has continued to hit for power. He’s hit .176 with five doubles, three homers, six RBIs, three stolen bases, and a .687 OPS this month.

Infielder Andres Gimenez saw limited action in May before landing on the IL with his quad injury, and he was turning a corner after an up-and-down start to the year. Through 19 at-bats in May, he collected seven hits, including one double, and had added two RBIs and one stolen base without a walk or a strikeout.

Best of the Rest

Nathan Lukes has done all he can to be part of the outfield rotation and has played the best baseball of his career in recent weeks. The 30-year-old has hit .293 with three homers, 11 RBIs, and a .863 OPS through 58 at-bats this month. He’s played well at all three outfield spots and seems to have finally earned regular playing time, given the off-days for Varsho while Santander and Springer split time in the outfield and in the DH spot.

Myles Straw has continued to show his value as a utility outfielder despite not hitting for much power. He’s amassed a .256 average (and OBP) with a double, five RBIs, and a .538 OPS in 21 games in May. The OPS is on the lower side because of the power dip and lack of walks (zero in May), but he’s shown solid contact skills and remains valuable with his exceptional defensive efforts.

Outfielder Jonatan Clase was promoted to the majors in late April and has gotten the occasional start in a crowded outfield mix. In May, the former Mariners prospect is hitting .276 (8-29) with three doubles, two steals, and five RBIs, with a .743 OPS to show for his efforts.

The most surprising thing about Tyler Heineman hitting .396 (19-for-48) this season (total) is that his average has dropped to that lofty mark despite a .316 average in May. He’s only been asked to play a couple of times per week, but the veteran journeyman has done everything asked of him and performed above reasonable expectations all season. Unfortunately, Heineman suffered a concussion and was placed on the seven-day injured list on Sunday.

The New Guys

Ali Sanchez was activated and made his Jays’ debut in the 13-0 abomination against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, going 1-for-3 before a 0-for-3 showing against Texas on Wednesday night. Michael Stefanic made his team debut on May 11th and went 2-for-4 in his first start, a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on May 16th. Since then, he has just one hit in 13 ABs.

Both players will likely see limited time on the field before Heineman and Andres Gimenez return from the IL in short order.