Why the Blue Jays’ Offence is Struggling this Season

For the full Pitch Clock episode, check out the video below. Don’t forget to subscribe to Sports Interaction’s YouTube channel for more content.

Before we go any further, be sure to browse our American League, National League, interleague, and MLB Props for all your baseball action.

Blue Jays Bats Gone Cold

This week’s edition of Pitch Clock is a bit like a good “good news and bad news” scenario. Typically people want to know the bad news first. As such, David Bastl gets the ball rolling by trying to find out why, since May 1, is Toronto last in the majors in slugging and on base percentage. Why has the offence let the team down?

John Gibbons:

“I don’t know if you can say they (batters) have let the team down. It’s hard to put a finger on things sometimes. You have proven hitters in the lineup and you kind of just assume that every year they’ll hit at their norm, and they probably will.”

As a former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, especially during a couple of excellent seasons (2015 and 2016), “Gibby” knows a thing or two about the pressure that comes along with expectations. He explains that in times like this, it feels as though everyone panics. Guess what. The players feel the effect of that atmosphere, more so than anyone else.

“Most of the time they try to do too much and try too hard and the game of baseball backfires on you. They don’t need lectures from the coaches unless there is a lack of effort and I don’t see a lack of effort.”

A lot of the talk has been about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – currently hitting .279 – but in reality, everyone needs to step up. George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Matt Chapman, everyone is in this together.

Struggles Against AL East

If a team is going to have any success at all in a campaign, it needs to outplay its closest rivals within the division. At 7-17, the Toronto Blue Jays have not shown they are up to par in the AL East. John Gibbons shares his thoughts.

“That’s kind of the mystery because it’s almost a reversal of last year when they played so well against them. There are plenty of games left and that has to change. If that doesn’t change, they’ll be in a tough spot.”

As he so often does, “Gibby” puts things into perspective. Toronto is only a game out of a Wild Card spot at the time of writing. Despite all the struggles experienced this season, the playoffs are very much within reach with half a season left to play.

“Ride it out. If you’re good enough, you’ll be there. If you’re not, you won’t be. It’s as simple as that.”