What needs to go right for the Blue Jays in the second half

As the 2023 Toronto Blue Jays take a breather in the course of the All-Star Break, they accomplish that as a great workforce with the potential to be nice.

While a few of the discourse surrounding the membership has been disproportionately destructive, there isn’t any doubt that its .549 profitable share is a minimum of mildly disappointing. 

Coming into the season this workforce was billed as a bunch able to problem for a division title and make the primary deep playoff push of the Bo Bichette-Vladimir Guerrero Jr. period.

Whether by file, primary statistical measures, or perhaps a extra subjective appraisal, that’s not how they’ve seemed thus far. Even so, the 2023 season is much from over, and though 91 video games could look like sufficient to evaluate a workforce by, there’s loads of time for these Blue Jays to rewrite their narrative.

MLB on Sportsnet

Livestream the Blue Jays and Blue Jays Central pre-game. Additionally, livestream marquee MLB matchups, Jays in 30, unique documentaries, the wild card, divisional sequence, championship sequence and the whole World Series.

CHOOSE PLAN

.acf-block-preview .br-snippet {
show: grid;
grid-template-columns: 200px 1fr;
hole: 20px;
width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 16px;
border: 1px strong #CECECE;
background-color: #FFF;
border-radius: 4px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info a {
text-decoration: none;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-title {
colour: #343434;
font-family: ‘roboto’;
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: 600;
line-height: 22px;
margin-bottom: 10px;
high: -3px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-body {
colour: #343434;
font-family: ‘urw-din’;
font-size: 16px;
line-height: 20px;
margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-link-title {
show: inline-block;
font-family: ‘urw-din’;
font-size: 16px;
list-style-type: none;
width: auto;
}
.acf-block-preview .br-snippet-info .br-snippet-link-title:not(:last-child):after ‘;
colour: #343434;

The 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves had been 44-45 on the break. The 2019 Washington Nationals received all of it after sitting at 47-42. The 2022 Philadelphia Phillies squad that made the World Series began 49-43. The groups which are most harmful in the long run don’t all the time look that method presently of 12 months.

It’s no certainty that the Blue Jays are a late bloomer like these examples, however it could’t be dominated out both. Here are some things that have to go proper for Toronto to enhance within the second half of 2023.

Alek Manoah has to contribute

Manoah’s return to the foremost leagues on July 7 was encouraging as the large right-hander gave the workforce six innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts, nevertheless it supplied no ensures that he’s his outdated self as soon as once more.

Before he was demoted to the minors, he had a couple of robust outings sprinkled in amongst his troublesome begins — and the Detroit Tigers lineup didn’t current a lot of a check. His velocity didn’t return to his 2022 ranges, and the shortage of horizontal motion on his slider endured.

It was undoubtedly a step in the appropriate route, however the workforce can’t make certain what it’s going to get from Manoah from right here on out. 

.acf-block-preview .br-video-thumbnail::earlier than {
content material: “”;
place: absolute;
high: 45%;
left: 50%;
remodel: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-moz-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-ms-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-o-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-webkit-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
width: 20px;
top: 0px;
border-top: 14px strong clear;
border-left: 22px strong #fff;
border-bottom: 14px strong clear;
margin-left: 3px;
}

The distinction between his 2022 and 2023 has performed an unlimited function within the Blue Jays’ failure to satisfy expectations this 12 months. While workforce information when a person starter pitches will be filled with statistical noise, it’s notable that Toronto went 18-13 with Manoah on the hill final 12 months and 4-9 previous to his demotion in 2023.

If Manoah is admittedly again, the Blue Jays have 5 starters they’ll belief and don’t should depend on Hyun-jin Ryu as something greater than a wild card — or put a lot of commerce belongings in the direction of a starter on the deadline.

The vary of outcomes for Manoah within the second half is huge, and one of the best model of the 2023 Blue Jays options the 25-year-old as a dependable possibility.

Vladdy must be nearer to 2021 Vladdy

The expectations surrounding Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have invited an undue quantity of criticism at instances, however the first baseman has extra in his bat than we’ve seen in 2022.

Although his anticipated numbers have been robust all season, that hasn’t all the time translated to manufacturing. The good news for the Blue Jays is that his energy has been trending up in latest weeks.

In his final 15 video games he’s hit .271/.338/.542. That’s not peak Vladdy, nevertheless it’s strong energy output from a participant who’s struggled to supply extra-base hits at his ordinary tempo for many of the season.

It could be unfair to imagine his Home Run Derby efficiency will spark a second-half resurgence, however for what it’s value his wRC+ was considerably higher following his 2019 efficiency (113) than it was earlier than (98).

The workforce wants to remain wholesome 

In many instances the best method to select underachievers and overachievers throughout an MLB season is to determine which groups have been the healthiest or most snake-bitten.

That’s not a glamorous method of analyzing the majors, and groups are all the time reluctant to make excuses or credit score harm luck as a motive for his or her success — so that you received’t see many reporters getting quotations from managers and GMs concerning the well being of their squads. As a end result, it’s an element that usually goes under-discussed.

In the Blue Jays’ case, the workforce has not carried out to expectations with a core group of gamers that’s been extraordinarily sturdy. Bichette, Guerrero, Matt Chapman, George Springer and Daulton Varsho have missed a mixed 13 video games. No one within the rotation has suffered a big harm.

The catching place has been hit by the harm bug to some extent — and Jordan Romano’s standing popping out of the All-Star Game is but to be decided — however typically talking the Blue Jays have been wholesome.

It’s anybody’s guess whether or not that may proceed to the diploma it has thus far, however a step again in well being may very well be an enormous blow for a workforce that doesn’t have a lot rotation depth or top-notch bench choices.

Toronto wants some right-handed thump

While the Blue Jays have notable right-handed hitters like Guerrero, Bichette, Chapman, and Springer they haven’t hit southpaws effectively. The workforce’s wRC+ in opposition to lefties (96) ranks twenty third in MLB thus far.

Sometimes a statistic like that’s simply the results of not dealing with sufficient left-handers or gamers on the roster not residing as much as their typical requirements. For the Blue Jays there’s a structural challenge.

Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had been two of the workforce’s most dependable lefty mashers lately and now its beginning outfield contains two gamers — Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier — who’re robust to belief after they don’t have the platoon benefit. The similar will be stated for high DH possibility Brandon Belt.

As it stands, the Blue Jays don’t have harmful right-handed bats to convey off the bench to compensate for this challenge. Santiago Espinal has not carried out effectively offensively this season, and each catchers are normally within the lineup in opposition to lefties. 

Ernie Clement has been an possibility in opposition to left-handers at instances, however the membership must discover a extra dependable possibility or two across the deadline — ideally with the power to play within the outfield.

Blue Jays want some well timed hitting

This is a storyline that’s been overwhelmed to demise, and it’s a comparatively simplistic one — so we’ll avoid wasting phrases. 

Here are the Blue Jays’ splits by scenario:

Until these numbers shift the Blue Jays’ offence can not attain its potential, and a end result, neither can the workforce.

More from Sportsnet

Romano’s early All-Star Game exit a trigger for concern for Blue Jays

Blue Jays Farm Report: Better pitch choice helps Martinez hit for extra than simply energy

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper {
show: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
hole: 20px;
}

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper a {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
text-decoration: none;
colour: black;
}