Blue Jays: Randal Grichuk finding a groove at the right time

This season has seen the Toronto Blue Jays find a groove at the plate, boasting one of the top offensive lineups in the league and leading multiple categories such as OPS (.798), home runs (233), and slugging (.465).

With contributions from almost everyone in the lineup, the Blue Jays have found themselves in a playoff spot via the Wild Card, however, the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and Oakland Athletics are hot on their tails with the Bronx Bombers only 0.5 games back.

One player who is stepping up in a time of need is outfielder Randal Grichuk.

With George Springer not being able to play the outfield with his recent knee injury, Grichuk along with a few other Blue Jays bench players like Corey Dickerson and Jarrod Dyson have split time in center field but it is Grichuk is stepping up when the club’s biggest off-season acquisition cannot take the field.

Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk is on a hot streak right now at a time when the club needs him to play well with George Springer not being able to play defensively.

Over his last seven games, the right-hander boasts a .455/.500/.682 slash line while also making a highlight-reel grab two days ago against the Tampa Bay Rays. On the season, Grichuk is sporting a .249/.291/.439 with 22 home runs, 81 RBI (career-high), and a .730 OPS. He started out well when Springer was on the injured list to begin the campaign but hit a rough patch in June that saw his average drop roughly 50 points and continues to hover around the .250 area.

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For most of his Blue Jays career, Grichuk has been a bit inconsistent at the plate, finding a rhythm and going on hot streaks only to find himself in a bit of a slump where he cannot put the barrel to the ball and sees his average fluctuate through the course of the campaign.

Right now however, Grichuk is once again riding a hot streak and is finding ways to put the ball in play as well as make stellar defensive contributions since Springer is unable to go. This streak comes at a time when the Jays need as much offensive as they can, especially since they are going to be facing the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees at least one more time before the season comes to a close. He has three multi-hit games in the month of September and has 11 hits in his last eight games with one home run and three RBI while also adding in five runs.

While it may have looked like Grichuk would be the odd man out this Spring, the former St. Louis Cardinal is proving to be a solid bat as the Blue Jays look to close out the year with another trip to the postseason.

With Springer unable to go defensively, Grichuk may have to split his time with both Dyson and Dickerson but if he continues to put the ball in play, the righty batter could easily find himself getting more at-bats as the Jays continue their march towards the postseason.