Blue Jays notebook: Whit Merrifield quietly becoming everyday option

Baseball

Published 28.04.2023

Blue Jays notebook: Whit Merrifield quietly becoming everyday option

TORONTO — When the Toronto Blue Jays acquired Whit Merrifield final summer time, he was within the midst of his least productive offensive stretch within the large leagues. At 33, it appeared attainable his finest days had been behind him and the worth the Blue Jays paid — minor leaguers Samad Taylor and Max Castillo — mirrored as a lot.

But somewhat quietly, Merrifield has been a productive offensive participant ever since. He completed sturdy final season and is batting .313/.377/.403 with 4 steals and 6 doubles to this point this 12 months. Sixty three video games into his profession with the Blue Jays, his OPS in Toronto (.774) is definitely larger than it was in Kansas City (.758).

“He’s doing what he’s done his whole career,” supervisor John Schneider stated earlier this week. “Before we (acquired him) last year was a little bit of a rough stretch, but I think what we’re seeing is just an all-star player hitting his stride.”

With a 15.6 per cent strikeout price, Merrifield’s making numerous contact. And whereas his dash pace has dropped off barely over time, he’s nonetheless quicker than the likes of Ronald Acuna Jr., Brandon Nimmo and Anthony Volpe, permitting him to show borderline performs into hits.

Now granted, this present stage of manufacturing might not final. Merrifield is 34, and his present batting common and on-base share can be profession highs. But so long as he’s taking part in this properly, he belongs within the beginning lineup most days.

At the Letters

Ben Nicholson-Smith is Sportsnet’s baseball editor. Arden Zwelling is a senior author. Together, they create you probably the most in-depth Blue Jays podcast within the league, masking off all the most recent news with opinion and evaluation, in addition to interviews with different insiders and group members.

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On that entrance, the Blue Jays seem to agree as Merrifield has but to overlook consecutive video games at any level this season. Facing the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, he began all three video games, the primary time he’s performed each recreation of a collection this 12 months.

There’s no want for the Blue Jays to come back out and say it however he’s quietly turn out to be a starter on this group — and so long as he’s reaching base this usually, that’s the best way it needs to be.

Now, for some additional notes on the Blue Jays and their rivals round MLB …

WISHFUL THINKING

Quite a lot of issues are going proper for the 2023 Blue Jays. Their large bats are producing, their beginning rotation is rolling and their defence is noticeably higher. This newly balanced mixture has given the Blue Jays the third-best report within the American League.

So: mainly what the Blue Jays would have hoped for when the season started 4 weeks in the past. It’s probably problematic that the Tampa Bay Rays are banking so many wins, however a minimum of the Blue Jays are doing their half.

As Bo Bichette stated: “We’re playing well. This (White Sox) series in particular, everything was clicking: offence, defence, pitching. When everything is going like that, good things are going to happen.”

Having acknowledged that, let’s get grasping and think about what else the Blue Jays would need — a Rays collapse apart. Further momentum from Alek Manoah would most likely high the checklist, together with continued progress from Brandon Belt after his gradual begin.

Beyond that — and that is firmly in nice-to-have territory — it’d be splendid if an upper-minors place participant like Addison Barger (.706 OPS however 4 hits in his final two video games) or Otto Lopez (0 HR, .432 OPS) made a extra critical push for big-league at-bats.

But even the highest groups in baseball have want lists, and the Blue Jays are exhibiting they belong with the most effective.

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PAIN AND GAIN

As the 18-8 Pittsburgh Pirates and 17-8 Baltimore Orioles acquire floor within the standings, a outstanding distinction emerges between their bottom-five payrolls and their spectacular data. Throw within the MLB-leading 21-5 Rays and small-market groups could also be having a second.

Tactically talking, these entrance places of work did properly to remain disciplined and construct contending groups with modest payrolls. With stars like Adley Rutschman and the just lately prolonged Bryan Reynolds in place for years to come back, the long run is promising in Baltimore and Pittsburgh. It’s nice for the game.

(Great for the Pirates? The eight-year, $106.75 million Reynolds deal locks in an all-star participant at a modest value.)

At the identical time, let’s not overlook how the Pirates and Orioles acquired right here. Pittsburgh is coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons. The Orioles misplaced a minimum of 108 video games three full seasons in a row by way of 2021. Meanwhile, different small-market groups just like the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals have endured related ache with out notably enhancing their long-term prospects.

Winning with fewer sources is an actual achievement. It’s no coincidence former Rays executives like Andrew Friedman, Chaim Bloom, James Click and Matt Arnold have landed GM jobs. But what’s spectacular is their baseball acumen. Without it, small-market groups may be afterthoughts for years. And because the futility of the Oakland Athletics reveals, even a savvy entrance workplace doesn’t suffice if possession chooses to not assist it.

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BIG GAMES ONLY

On Friday, Manoah will make his sixth begin of the season and it’s one more high-profile outing for the 25-year-old.

Manoah’s first begin of the 12 months was opening day adopted by the Blue Jays’ dwelling opener. After a few comparatively typical outings, he confronted nemesis Gerrit Cole in New York and now it’s time for a rematch towards Luis Castillo, who outpitched Manoah with a dominant efficiency in Game 1 of final 12 months’s wild card collection.

It makes for some compelling matchups, however as Schneider sees it this weekend’s collection towards the Mariners is about 2023, not 2022.

“Every year is different,” Schneider stated. “Every team is different. We’re definitely a different team than we were last year when we played them. I know the guys are excited for the series as am I. But the expectation is (the same as) every series: trying to win.”