Who are the unsung heroes for the Blue Jays in 2022?

The Blue Jays have plenty of big-name stars, but they’ve also received some very important contributions from some unsung heroes in 2022.

It’s easy to forget about some of the lesser names when a roster includes stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Alek Maoah, Bo Bichette, Teoscar Hernandez, Kevin Gausman, and more. For the Blue Jays, they’ve experiencing a few disappointing seasons from a few of the names I’ve listed above, but they’ve also had some pleasant surprises from other members of the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

As is the case most seasons, it takes more than 26 players to get through a long 162 game campaign, and the Jays have a few players that are currently in Triple-A that deserve some credit for their current playoff position as well. They haven’t always received strong reinforcements, but Ross Atkins and company have had to turn to the farm system more than I’m sure they wanted to.

Add it all up and it’s been a true team effort for the Jays to scratch and claw their way to their current position. It hasn’t been the feature film type of season that many of us thought it might be during Spring Training, but all is not lost with 41 games remaining, and this team is still in a postseason spot.

Like many teams, the Blue Jays’ fate will be greatly impacted by the performance, and the health of their star players. However, it’s hard to imagine where they’d be without some of the more unsung heroes on their 40-man roster. Let’s take some time to highlight some of those guys.

Starting with the obvious

As I was writing the opening slide of this article, I couldn’t help but think about the perfect example on the current MLB roster for the Blue Jays. Quite simply, where would the Blue Jays be without Ross Stripling this year?

The veteran right-hander has been a crucial contributor this season, especially since he stepped into the rotation for the injured Hyun Jin Ryu, who is out for the rest of this season and more after having Tommy John surgery. Stripling has not only filled an important role, he’s flourished since moving back into a starting role. Coming into last night’s outing agains the Red Sox the 32 year old had posted a 2.77 ERA and a 0.974 WHIP over 78 innings pitched, and he was strong again last night at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, going 6.0 innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits and a walk.

Not only has Stripling’s performance been significant in making up for the loss of Ryu, he’s also added some stability in a year where the rotation has really needed it. Jose Berrios has been a Jekyl and Hyde arm for most of the year, and Yusei Kikuchi lost his fastball command to the point where he was moved to the bullpen. As of now the rotation features Gausman, Manoah, Berrios, Stripling, and the newly acquired Mitch White.

Looking at the depth chart even further, that might be where Stripling’s value becomes even more obvious. Instead of having a nice stable of Triple-A starters this year, like I thought they would back in February or March, it’s been anything but. They’ve seen injuries for guys like Nate Pearson, Anthony Kay, and more, and it’s a little scary to think about where John Schneider would have to turn if they had more injury issues.

Stripling’s contract will be up at the end of the year, and if I was working in the Blue Jays front office I would be making a strong push to retain one of the most reliable arms they’ve got. It’s hard to imagine where they’d be without him right now.

A full-time, part-time player

One of my favourite moves of the last offseason was one of their less headline-grabbing acquisitions when they added Raimel Tapia to the fold. The Jays sent Randal Grichuk to Colorado in order to acquire the speedy left-handed hitter, and also picked up a prospect in the swap as well.

Tapia was never supposed to be a star for the Blue Jays, or even a full-time player, but he’s quietly been very important to the success of Canada’s only MLB team. Unfortunately it’s been another year of inconsistent health for George Springer, and Teoscar Hernandez missed some time earlier in the year as well. As a result, Tapia has already played in 96 of the 121 games the Blue Jays have played this year, and he’s slashed .271/.293/.383 with five home runs, 17 doubles, and 38 RBI.

While it would be nice if his on-base percentage was a little higher, otherwise I think the Blue Jays have to be pleased with what he’s done since the trade. He offers a different look as a left-handed hitter, and one that doesn’t necessarily look to hit for power. He’s also capable of playing all three outfield positions on defence. He’s never going to win a Gold Glove award for his defensive work, but it’s certainly helpful that he’s able to move around.

As I write this, I also understand that some people may look at his -0.3 bWAR and tell me that I’m wrong. In this case, I think the intangibles of what Tapia has provided are enough for me to like what he brings to the roster. In a perfect world he wouldn’t be playing more than a few times a week, but for a team that’s needed him more frequently than that, I’m thankful to see a different look for the lineup with a lefty bat that puts the ball in play.

It was nice knowing ya while it lasted

I could add a few more names to this list, but the last one I wanted to bring up is a player that’s no longer with the Blue Jays. Max Castillo is a pitcher that I had barely heard of prior to this year, and he turned into a crucial depth arm for the Blue Jays while he was here, and also the centrepiece of a trade that brought Whit Merrifield to Toronto.

It was a shaky start to Castillo’s MLB career, but he settled in quickly and pitched well whether the Blue Jays asked him to start or come out of the bullpen. Prior to the trade his appeared in nine big league games including two starts, and posted a 3.05 ERA and a 0.968 WHIP over 20.2 innings pitched while in with the Jays.

Castillo’s emergence was especially helpful because it came at a time when the rotation really needed the support. For that reason, I was a bit surprised that the Blue Jays traded him to Kansas City prior to the Aug 2nd deadline, but they did get a versatile and experienced veteran in Whit Merrfield in return. He might not be the star he once was, but he ability to play in the outfield and also at second base is really important for this roster. He’s also a 2x All-Star who has led the American League in hits twice before.

For a player like Merrifield that the Royals had resisted traded for years, I was surprised that they moved him for Castillo and another prospect by the name of Samad Taylor. Again, I’ll recognize that he may not be in his prime anymore, but it’s also fair to say that the Royals may have held on too long as they have rebuilt their roster. Fortunately for the Blue Jays they received such an encouraging first nine MLB outings from Castillo that it caught the attention of some folks in Kansas City.

As you think about all of the players that have helped the Blue Jays get through the first 3/4’s of this season, who do you see as the unsung heroes of this team?