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Anytime a team can win four out of five games, they are likely feeling outstanding about their performance, and that’s what the Toronto Blue Jays accomplished this week. The Jays split the two-game series against the Washington Nationals and then completed their first sweep of the season, winning three straight games against the Atlanta Braves.
This week saw the debut of the Blue Jays big off-season signing and a historic night for one of the team’s young superstars. So, let’s take a look at those notes and more right now.
Guerrero Jr. Has Himself a Night
Tuesday night was Guerrero Jr’s night, and he stole the show. As many Blue Jays fans were sad to hear before opening pitch that George Springer wouldn’t be playing, Vlad made sure they weren’t nearly as disappointed during the game. Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs and tallied seven RBI’s in the game. He is the youngest player since at least 1901 with numbers like that in a single game. One home run was a grand slam against an elite pitcher in Max Scherzer.
He looks like a much more complete player this season and is proving to the entire MLB that he was worth the hype when he arrived in the big league.
George Springer Makes his Debut
After a stint on the IL, George Springer finally made his debut for the Blue Jays on Wednesday, batting lead-off and playing DH. Since he signed his six-year, $150,000,000 contract with the organization, Fans have been waiting for this game.
His first game didn’t go as planned, going 0-4 against the Nationals. However, he looked much more dominant against the Braves, including a big two homerun game on Saturday night.
He did leave the game early on Sunday for what Montoyo is calling fatigue. He doesn’t seem worried that Springer suffered a significant setback, but of course, it’s something to keep an eye on this week.
Kirk Injured
This week we saw some of the offensive power Alejandro Kirk can provide the Blue Jays. He came up big on Friday night with two home runs and four RBI’s as the Jays defeated the Braves in the series opener. At the same time, Jansen was in one of the largest offensive slumps in team history.
However, Kirk seemed to have injured his hip in Saturday’s contest as was removed from the game. The team later announced that he had some left hip flexor discomfort, and we should know more about the injury in the next day or two.
It’s disappointing to see a player get injured right as they are heating up, and hopefully, this injury doesn’t see Kirk miss too much time. Until then, Danny Jansen needs to find some confidence at the plate. He is currently batting .083 on the season but did have two hits in Sunday’s game.
The Upcoming Week
This week sees the Blue Jays begin a long road trip, starting on Monday night with four games in Oakland. The Jays then fly to Houston for a three-game set against Springer’s former team, the Astro’s, beginning Friday. The Jays currently sit 1.5 games back of the Red Sox for first in the AL East and will look to close that gap a bit this week.