Sluggers can’t get it going for struggling club
Toronto’s biggest bats have struggled mightily to start the season, which is a major reason why the Jays sit last in the American League East.
Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sported matching .208 averages after Saturday’s loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers, while George Springer — who got the day off — is having the worst offensive season of his career.
Springer is 34, so it’s not that odd that he isn’t hitting like his former all-star self, but the bigger concern is the struggles of the younger sluggers.
Bichette, in particular, is one of the best hitters in baseball, yet hasn’t shown it at all so far this season.
Asked what the difference is, Jays manager John Schneider said it’s just a matter of missing some pitches.
“Missing pitches that he’s hammered his whole career, maybe, like, just missing them,” Schneider said before the Jays lost 4-2 on Saturday, with the duo combining for a Guerrero double, four strikeouts and at least some decently struck balls.
“(Bichette) can get as hot as anybody really, you know, he could (start) hitting .400 for a month or two. I think it’s just really kind of just not hitting the pitches that he’s been really, really good at his whole career.”
Schneider does think things are improving for Bichette. After Bichette made good contact in the game Schneider added: “His swings were great today. It’s close. It’s just a matter of time for Bo. You look at his career and he’s gonna end up where he usually ends up.
One of the oddest Bichette stats is the 1-for-15 work at the plate against left-handers. Bichette hit .323 against lefties just a season ago and has batted .312 against them for his career (vs. .292 against right-handers prior to Saturday).
It’s worth noting that Bichette can be streaky, as Schneider pointed out. He hit .350 last May, .278 in June and .337 in July. Bichette hit just .213 to start the season two years ago in his first 97 at-bats, the same number he had entering Saturday. But he also hit .406 to close that year’s final 147 plate appearances.
“I think he’s just kind of off to a little bit of a slow start,” Schneider said. “I don’t think there’s anything really I mean, he has such a high lofty expectation for himself, so, I mean, I think he’s aware of it, but I don’t think he’s in a bad place by any means. He’s such a gifted hitter, where it’s just gonna turn quick.”
Finally, Guerrero has only seven extra-base-hits in 28 games so far, including a double on Saturday.
Overall, Toronto entered Saturday with a .229 team batting average, ninth-worst in baseball, the 15th-worst OBP and 11th-worst OPS.
Schneider said he isn’t going to tinker with the top of the order. “They’ve always hit. And you keep guys kind of where they’re on the middle (of the order) doing their thing.
“They’re our three best hitters. You know, or, I want to say best, but (Justin Turner) is pretty damn good, too. But …, that’s how we’re built, and we’re confident they’re gonna get going here.”