Ex-Files: Former Blue Jays Gurriel Jr., Moreno give surging Diamondbacks a boost

Baseball

Published 25.05.2023

Ex-Files: Former Blue Jays Gurriel Jr., Moreno give surging Diamondbacks a boost

Leading into this week’s four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kevin Kiermaier instructed reporters that he mentioned “I’m gonna make you guys (Rays) miss me,” when he discovered that the membership wasn’t going to choose up his possibility.

Since turning into a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, he has definitely performed the a part of the one which bought away. Kiermaier has posted career-best offensive numbers and stays an elite defender with Toronto.

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Kiermaier isn’t the one “ex” placing collectively a powerful season in a brand new scenario, as among the now-departed Jays have discovered seemingly good suits with their new companions.

After a pair of roster-shifting low season trades and a number of other gamers lately leaving by way of free company, right here’s a take a look at how a few of Toronto’s exes are faring to start out 2023.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Arizona Diamondbacks

44 GP | 8 HR | 27 RBI | .317/.372/.557 | 153 OPS+

Currently the writer of a 16-game hit streak, Gurriel Jr. is placing collectively one heck of a contract yr.

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The 29-year-old has seemingly rediscovered his energy stroke. Gurriel Jr. has already surpassed his career-low 5 residence runs in 2022 by way of the early levels of this marketing campaign, whereas registering career-best totals in nearly each offensive class.

His success on the plate has been a significant addition to a Diamondbacks crew that presently has the third-best document within the National League.

Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks

38 GP | 2 HR | 19 RBI | .304/.341/.400 | 105 OPS+

The different a part of the return despatched to Arizona within the Daulton Varsho deal, Moreno has been no slouch together with his new membership both.

Formerly Toronto’s high prospect, touted for his bat-to-ball abilities, wonderful method and sky-high potential as a catcher, the early returns are fairly encouraging for the 23-year-old backstop.

While the ability nonetheless stays a query — he’s presently on tempo for six residence runs — Moreno is hitting for common and grading out as one of many high defensive catchers in MLB.

Moreno is tied for second amongst certified catchers in defensive runs saved and is available in atop the record in Baseball Savant’s new caught-stealing above-average stat. With that mentioned, he nonetheless has room to enhance behind the dish, rating as a below-average framer and blocker.

Teoscar Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

48 GP | 8 HR | 24 RBI | .235/.275/.401 | 89 OPS+

After spending six seasons in a Blue Jays uniform, creating right into a fan favorite and constant drive in the midst of the lineup, Hernandez has struggled in his new threads.

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The two-time Silver Slugger is tied for the key league lead in strikeouts and is posting the worst stroll price of his profession.

Hernandez bought off to such a sluggish begin however has performed higher as of late, slashing .273/.313/.364 in May.

Ross Stripling, San Francisco Giants

9 GP | 7.24 ERA | 32.1 innings | 26 strikeouts | 10 walks

Stripling was quietly some of the necessary members of the 2022 Blue Jays, beginning the season as a swingman within the bullpen and ending it because the third-most-valuable pitcher on the crew by WAR.

The 33-year-old righty took his profession yr, through which he posted a 10-4 document with a 3.01 ERA, and leveraged it right into a two-year, $25 million deal that features an opt-out after 2023 with the Giants.

This season hasn’t fairly gone as nicely for Stripling, who was positioned on the 15-day injured record on Friday with a lower-back pressure. He has labored as each a bulk reliever and starter in San Francisco.

He has been snake bitten by the longball, rating final out of all pitchers to throw a minimum of 30 innings, permitting 2.78 residence runs per 9.

Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers

48 GP | 7 HR | 39 RBI | .301/.377/.490 | 139 OPS+

The $175 million man in Texas is placing collectively a superb bounce-back season for the AL West-leading Rangers.

Coming off a average drop in manufacturing from his record-setting season with Toronto, Semien struggled out of the gate after signing his new contract. But in 2023, he’s again as one of many premier second basemen within the recreation.

The 32-year-old is strolling extra and placing out much less in 2023 than he did a yr in the past, serving to him to the third-highest WAR complete amongst all place gamers.

Robbie Ray, Seattle Mariners

1 GP | 8.10 ERA | 3.1 innings | 3 strikeouts | 5 walks

The 2021 AL Cy Young winner is completed for the season after present process Tommy John Surgery earlier this month.

Ray made only one begin for the Mariners this season, permitting 5 runs — solely three earned — over 3.1 innings earlier than leaving with a forearm damage. The timeline for restoration has him projected to return across the center of 2024.

Rowdy Tellez, Milwaukee Brewers

44 GP | 12 HR | 26 RBI | .255/.348/.539 | 141 OPS+

Since being moved to the Brewers within the 2021 commerce that introduced Bowden Francis and Trevor Richards to the Blue Jays, Tellez has been a fixture in Milwaukee’s lineup.

The 28-year-old has slugged 54 residence runs as a member of his new membership, together with a team-best 35 blasts in 2022.

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Tellez has picked up proper the place he left off this season, posting higher numbers in every of the triple-slash classes and is on tempo for over 40 residence runs.

Next week, he’ll make his first journey again to the Rogers Centre for a three-game collection towards the Blue Jays, beginning on May 30.

Kevin Smith, Oakland Athletics

26 GP | 3 HR | 7 RBI | .184/.205/.316 | 47 OPS+

One of the primary items heading west as a part of the Matt Chapman deal, Smith hasn’t been in a position to put all of it collectively within the large leagues.

He broke camp in 2022 with the MLB membership, taking part in 47 video games earlier than being demoted to triple-A. While he appeared to hit his stride with the Las Vegas Aviators in September and thru the early a part of 2023, he struggled as soon as once more after being recalled in April.

The 26-year-old infielder was despatched again down on May 14 and has continued to thrive within the minors, slashing .300/.375/.780 over 11 video games.