How Blue Jays newcomers will impact rest of ’23 roster

In the context of staff sports activities, there’s little doubt baseball is on the individualistic aspect.

But simply because the sport performs out as a sequence of one-on-one battles it doesn’t imply that staff constructing ignores how gamers on the identical staff have an effect on one another’s contributions.

If you purchase an excessive groundball pitcher it’s worthwhile to give consideration to the state of your infield. If you have got a surplus of left-handed bats, including just a few well-placed right-handers might assist them produce extra by scaring opposing managers off of sure pitching strikes.

The Toronto Blue Jays offered a concrete instance of striving for this sort of synergy final low season after they added Matt Chapman. At the time, it was theorized, fairly, that he could be an unlimited assist to Hyun-Jin Ryu, who famously allowed a ton of grounders to the left aspect within the earlier two seasons:

Unfortunately for Ryu, his 2022 lasted simply six begins. Because the Blue Jays didn’t make use of one other starter with a ground-ball fee considerably above common, it’s robust to evaluate if Chapman’s glove would’ve served as a power multiplier. 

The principle was sound, although. The means gamers’ abilities mesh can meaningfully enhance their manufacturing. An instance of that the Blue Jays noticed in 2022 was the best way Alejandro Kirk’s framing assist improve the best way Alek Manoah attacked hitters — a phenomenon well-covered by Leo Morgernstern at FanGraphs.

This low season, the Blue Jays have made three important acquisitions — Chris Bassitt, Kevin Kiermaier, and Erik Swanson — and every’s worth will probably be affected by how their contributions match with their teammates.

Here’s a have a look at which Blue Jay might have an effect on every essentially the most:

Chris Bassitt 

Most necessary teammate: Kirk

How they work collectively: It’s not profound to decide on the Blue Jays’ finest framing catcher as a key contributor to their new starter’s success, however Bassitt doesn’t have many particular wants.

The right-hander’s platoon splits are just about non-existent, so there he isn’t prone to see lefty-heavy lineups liable to hitting the ball to a specific aspect of the sphere.

Looking at his batted-ball numbers over the past two years, it’s additionally clear that his profile doesn’t deviate an excessive amount of from league averages.

Bassitt is a bit more groundball-heavy and a contact more durable to sq. up than common, however it’s not drastic. 

In 2022 his grounders shot up, however that was largely pushed by an enormous launch angle decline on four-seamers regardless of the actual fact he threw them greater than ever. It seems to be extra like small-sample wonkiness than a development, however will probably be value monitoring.

So, if we’re assuming his batted balls are pretty run-of-the-mill — at the least by way of sort and site — that leaves us together with his batterymate. Bassitt doesn’t want a rocket-armed associate as he’s by no means allowed greater than 10 steals in a season, however a strong framer is all the time useful.

Statcast ranked Kirk as a 94th-percentile framer final season, and he excels the place Bassitt likes to pitch. As a sinkerballer with middling velocity, the vast majority of the veteran’s balls and referred to as strikes final season have been close to the underside of the zone:

Kirk struggles to get calls above the zone typically, however he’s been nails beneath it.

Here’s how he’s ranked in opposition to the league common within the Statcast’s zones 17, 18, and 19 (beneath the zone from left to proper, from the catcher’s perspective):

When Bassitt hammers the underside of the zone, Kirk will steal strikes.

Kevin Kiermaier 

Most necessary teammate: Jose Berríos

How they work collectively: Manoah is the one pitcher pencilled into the Blue Jays rotation who has allowed extra fly balls than groundballs within the final two seasons, however he isn’t the choose right here.

That’s as a result of Manoah permits comparatively few of his flyballs in opposition to to centre subject:

In distinction, flies hit off Berrios usually discover their solution to centre:

Last season simply 9 pitchers allowed extra fly balls to centre subject than Berríos and in 2021 simply 12 pitchers topped him. Some of that comes from the right-hander logging important innings, however that’s anticipated to be the case as soon as once more in 2023.

Although Berríos struggled with arduous contact final season, his common exit velocity allowed on flyballs and line drives (93.1 mph) final season ranked 124th amongst certified pitchers — beneath common, however not unhealthy sufficient that Kiermaier is doomed to chase uncatchable rockets when he’s on the mound.

Erik Swanson 

Most necessary teammate: Kevin Kiermaier

How they work collectively: Swanson was acquired earlier than Kiermaier, so it’s arduous to say the Blue Jays focused him with their pairing in thoughts. 

Even so, his acquisition got here within the Teoscar Hernández commerce so Toronto doubtless knew it was aiming to improve its outfield defence when Swanson was introduced aboard.

Swanson immediately turns into the Blue Jays largest flyball pitcher. Since 2021 he has a flyball fee of 49.8 p.c. No different Toronto pitcher with a job nailed down in 2023 has a quantity above 41.5. 

The right-hander’s flies have skewed a bit to right-field in his profession, however he has fewer profession innings on the MLB stage (154.2) than Berríos pitched final yr alone (172.0), we’re not keen to belief that as a development. 

Instead we’ll simply pair him with one of the best defensive outfielder the Blue Jays have.

Another candidate would’ve been one of many Blue Jays’ catchers, however Swanson’s balls and referred to as strikes present what he actually desires to do is assault the highest of the zone and above.

Unfortunately for Toronto, none of their catchers are reliably above-average at stealing strikes in that space. Danny Jansen is best than Kirk, however each of their finest framing areas lie elsewhere.

More from Sportsnet

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With Bassitt in place, Blue Jays flip consideration to including offence

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