Where and how Blue Jays can improve most as 2023 season unfolds

TORONTO — To this level within the season, the Toronto Blue Jays haven’t performed badly. Even after two robust losses towards the Yankees, they’re 24-18, in playoff place and enjoying at a 93-win tempo.

And but… doesn’t it really feel like this group is able to extra? Maybe it’s a product of the Rays and the Orioles, who’ve each outplayed the Blue Jays early. Or possibly it’s recency bias with Sunday’s sloppy win adopted by the deflating Yankees video games. Either approach, common supervisor Ross Atkins stated Monday afternoon that he sees upside past what the Blue Jays have proven.

“I just see us getting better and better as a group,” he stated. “Coming together better and being more and more consistent.”

With roughly three-quarters of the season remaining, there’s definitely time remaining. So, extra particularly, what would that enchancment seem like? Let’s begin on the energetic roster earlier than wanting elsewhere within the group and — why not? — taking the earliest of early seems to be on the commerce market:

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Internal Improvement: The 26-man roster

Technically talking, anybody on the workforce may enhance, even Matt Chapman (.947 OPS) or Bo Bichette (.882 OPS). More realistically, although, it’s the gamers underperforming most who provide the largest potential enchancment.

Starting atop the lineup, leadoff hitter George Springer has simply 5 dwelling runs and a .226/.289/.327 batting line. That’s a big departure in manufacturing from the .814 OPS Springer posted final 12 months or his profession mark of .842. Considering he’s more healthy now than he was a 12 months in the past, the Blue Jays anticipate these numbers to enhance.

“I don’t think George Springer is going to have the same line that he has right now for the rest of the year,” Atkins said. “He’s the same physical human being, the same mental human being, the same fundamental player that he was when he was one of the best players in the game.”

Further down the batting order, catchers Alejandro Kirk (.658 OPS) and Danny Jansen (.594 OPS) are additionally underperforming on the plate relative to the requirements they set a 12 months in the past (there’s room for defensive enchancment, too). A sluggish begin to spring coaching could have impacted Kirk out of the gate, and he’s now making demonstrably worse contact (far fewer hard-hit balls, way more floor balls).

Still, Kirk has elite strike zone judgment with extra walks than strikeouts and it was simply final 12 months that he added 14 dwelling runs whereas hitting .285. At 24 years outdated, the talents that make these numbers doable hardly ever simply disappear.

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Even the bench has underperformed, with Cavan Biggio (career-low .431 OPS after a hitless day Tuesday) and Santiago Espinal (.477 OPS, career-high 55 per cent floor ball fee) each off to discouraging begins. The struggles of Biggio are significantly notable, with 25 strikeouts in simply 61 at-bats and no walks since April 3. Despite organizational optimism surrounding Biggio to start out the season, it’s been a tricky one for the 28-year-old, and Espinal isn’t faring significantly better.

Of course this record wouldn’t be full with out mentioning Alek Manoah, whose sluggish begin is probably most troubling of all. While Atkins stated earlier than Monday’s outing that Manoah’s “stuff’s trending positively,” the right-hander’s command has been problematic.

“It really just comes down to (the fact that) the walks are a little up for him,” Atkins stated. “More consistently getting on the plate and executing in the zone and we’ll see better results.”

So far that hasn’t occurred, as Manoah has allowed 36 free passes this 12 months (4 HBP, 32 walks) in simply 45 innings. He leads MLB with a mean of 6.4 walks per 9 innings, a fee so excessive it’s nearly inconceivable to be an efficient starter sustainably (amongst pitchers who had been on the mound for at the least 120 innings final 12 months, Kris Bubic’s stroll fee of 4.4 per 9 was worst; in any other case these pitchers had been bumped to the bullpen or off rosters).

Behind the scenes, the Blue Jays are working with Manoah, whose first two seasons present he’s able to way more. Where these changes lead can have a big say within the workforce’s 2023 season.

Internal enchancment: Beyond the energetic roster

Best-case state of affairs, the Blue Jays’ present gamers attain their potential. If not? Ideally the higher minor-leagues would provide reinforcements however now that Nate Pearson’s joined the big-league workforce there’s no clear subsequent wave from triple-A Buffalo.

“At this point in the season, it’s a little early to hang your hat on names and say this is going to be the one that’s going to contribute,” Atkins stated. “I think a month from now we’ll have a little bit better feel for guys that are trending in that way.”

Maybe by then, the likes of Addison Barger (elbow difficulty), Otto Lopez (.496 OPS) and Hayden Juenger (6.33 ERA) shall be pushing for big-league time. To be honest, 25-year-old first baseman Spencer Horwitz (.885 OPS) and journeyman utility participant Ernie Clement (.912 OPS) are producing and obtainable if wanted, although the latter isn’t on the 40-man roster.

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But some big-league veterans are additionally working their approach again, with Chad Green and Hyun-Jin Ryu recovering from Tommy John surgical procedures accomplished final June. Though some setbacks are to be anticipated when coming back from ligament substitute surgical procedure, a 12-15 month restoration interval would put late-season returns on the radar for each.

“It is very encouraging to see how the ball’s coming out of their hands, how they’re recovering,” Atkins stated. “Next month they could be facing hitters and be in (rehabilitation) games. We’re still hopeful for that. No guarantees, but very encouraged by their progress.”

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External enchancment: Trades

Last however definitely not least, we arrive at the potential for trades. Like all contenders, the Blue Jays would like to reach on the commerce deadline able of power — open to upgrades with out being determined for assist in anyone space. For now, that’s how Atkins sees this roster.

“There’s not an area right now where we say, ‘okay, this is absolutely what we have to build a depth around,’” the GM stated. “We feel like we’re getting really solid contributions even from the players that have underperformed, I feel really good when it’s their opportunity so there’s not a glaring area we’re fixated on.”

Fair sufficient, however nearly all groups with World Series aspirations find yourself exploring bullpen upgrades and the way in which issues are going within the rotation, it stands to motive the Blue Jays will monitor that market, too, with Eduardo Rodriguez a very intriguing commerce candidate and the White Sox and Giants value watching because the summer time unfolds. Barring reversals from present gamers, the Blue Jays’ bench will definitely want upgrades, too.

Of course, it’s solely May, with many twists and turns forward for all concerned, however preparation for the commerce deadline is already nicely underway throughout the entrance workplace. For now, the hope is evident: that sufficient gamers will step up internally to make deadline buying a comparatively easy expertise in a few months’ time.

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