Gregor Chisholm: The Blue Jays’ left should complement what the right is doing
’ offence was one of the best in the major leagues last season but it didn’t often feel that way because, with so many big names in the lineup, there was an expectation that the results could have been better.
Enter designated hitter Brandon Belt, left-fielder Daulton Varsho and centre-fielder Kevin Kiermaier. Those are the three players the Jays brought in this off-season to diversify their lineup while also increasing speed and upgrading the defence. In total, the Jays had just 1,239 plate appearances versus left-handers in 2022. That was the fewest in the majors by a large margin, with the Miami Marlins next up at 1,316. Interestingly, the Jays performed slightly better against right-handers with a .762 on-base plus slugging percentage compared to .753 against lefties.
A lingering knee injury stopped that forward progression. Pain and a lack of mobility limited Belt to 97 games in 2021 and last year he appeared in just 78 before undergoing surgery late in the season. He is fully recovered and reported to camp this weekend claiming this is the best he has felt in years.
“There are a lot of good talks around the batting cage and in the clubhouse,” said Belt, who hit .213 with eight homers during last year’s injury-riddled campaign. “My plan is to not push any of that but, if it comes up organically, I can share my experiences that I’ve had over my 12-year career. I’ve been through a lot, I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs so I think I have a lot of experiences I can share and hopefully help them out.
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