Toronto Blue Jays 2020 Report Card: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Jays Journal contributors will be authoring Toronto Blue Jays report cards based on how each player performed in 2020. In this edition, we take a look at Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

In his third Major League season, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. continued to show Blue Jays fans why he was one of the most highly sought after international free agents back in 2016. The young slugger tallied 31 home runs and 85 RBI in 149 games during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and was able to carry that momentum over into another productive campaign in 2020.

Year in Review

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was one of the most consistent and productive bats featured in Toronto’s line-up throughout the 2020 season. After hitting just one home run in the opening 21 games of the season, Gurriel Jr. really hit his stride in the second half of August and continued getting stronger as the season wore on.

He earned American League Player of the Week honours to open up September after batting .467 with two home runs, five RBI, and a 1.282 OPS in an impressive six-game run. That week was capped off with a four-hit outing against the Boston Red Sox on September 6th, one of three four-hit games Gurriel posted on the season. He ended the year with 16 multi-hit performances, eight three-hit outings, and 25 extra-base hits in 57 starts.

Defense

After bouncing around defensively early in his career, Gurriel Jr. appears to have found a home in left field. He made 53 starts in left field, with one other appearance coming at first base. He made just one error this season and recorded an American League high 100 put outs in left field. Gurriel Jr’s .990 FCPT%  also earned himself a gold glove nomination as one of the top three left fielders in the American League.

Despite not always taking the best route to the ball, Gurriel Jr. has shown an impressive range in the outfield and a very strong arm. Improvement can still be made, but Blue Jays fans have to be pleased with where Gurriel Jr’s defense is now compared to when he entered the league two years ago.

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By the Numbers

The 27-year-old finished the 2020 season with 11 home runs and 33 RBI. His .308 batting average led the team, as did his 111 total bases. His .882 OPS was a career-high and he ended the abbreviated campaign with a 1.0 bWAR.

Offensively, Gurriel Jr. appears to be just scratching the surface of his potential. He is fully capable of hitting 30 home runs in the future and with a career batting average of .287, he should be locked in to the three hole in Charlie Montoyo’s batting order every day next season.

Going Forward

Gurriel Jr. will be entering the fifth year of the seven-year $22 million contract he signed with Toronto back in 2016. He is due a base salary of $3.5 million in 2021, with that number escalating to $4.5 million and $5.4 million the following two seasons. Gurriel Jr. will then be under team control for one more year before hitting free agency in 2025. This contract was a bit of a risk at the time it was signed but has proven to be a great value deal for the Blue Jays.

At 27 years of age, Gurriel Jr is just entering his prime and will be a key piece of the puzzle for this young Blue Jays team for the foreseeable future.

Overall Grade: A