Blue Jays’ Michael Saunders salvaging career in Buffalo

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Michael Saunders
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Michael Saunders

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders is salvaging not only his season but possibly his career in Triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons after a disastrous start to the 2017 campaign with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Michael Saunders is pleading his case to return to the majors as a September call-up for the Blue Jays thanks in part to his recent play of late. Saunders is batting .349 while collecting 15 hits in his last 10 games with the herd and his latest offensive surge earned him Player of the Week honours last week.

The 30-year old got off to a slow start in Buffalo after returning to the Blue Jays organization on a minor league pact at the end of June. Saunders was released by the Phillies after a disappointing start in the “City of Brotherly Love” where he slashed .205/.257/.350 in 61 games leading up to his release.

The native of Victoria, British Columbia has rebounded nicely in his first 31 games in Buffalo slashing .279/.326/.419 including 13 extra base hits. Saunders will need to harness and bottle his offensive output he experienced during the first half of last season that saw the outfielder chosen to represent the Jays at the Midsummer Classic.

https://twitter.com/BuffaloBisons/status/899692831857659905

In 2016. Saunders hit .298/.372/.551 with 16 home runs during the first half of the season but then punched his ticket out of town with a pitiful second half that saw the Canadian hit .178/.282/.357 with 8 home runs.

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There is no telling what the Jays plan to do with Saunders as he is set to become a free agent at season’s end and the likes of Anthony Alford, Teoscar Hernandez, and Dwight Smith Jr. are ahead of Saunders on the organizational depth chart.

Regardless of where he ends up moving forward Saunders has managed to salvage his career for the time being and has presumably solidified another opportunity at the major league level with one organization or another.

Best of luck to “Captain Canuck” no matter where that may be.

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