Daulton Varsho immediately showing why the Blue Jays didn’t need to trade for a power bat at the deadline

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho is making up for lost time with a power surge that has changed the look of the team’s offense with his return to the lineup last week.

The 29-year-old was activated off the injured list last Friday, and while he was hitless in the series against Kansas City, Varsho has picked up his production with a pair of huge games in Colorado. He’s collected five hits in 10 at-bats, with three homers, a double and 10 RBI, including a career-high six during Tuesday’s 10-4 romp.

Daulton Varsho immediately showing why the Blue Jays didn’t need to trade for a power bat at the deadline

Of course, we shouldn’t overreact to a couple of offensive breakouts in hitter-friendly Coors Field, but what Varsho has displayed this week is simply a continuation of the prodigious power that he’s displayed all season. The only problem has been staying on the field as the 2024 Gold Glove winner has now suited up in just 28 games this season.

Over those 28 games, the lefty slugger has crushed 11 home runs, hit seven more extra-base hits (six doubles, one triple), driven in 30 runs, and produced a robust .858 OPS in just 117 plate appearances. Not only has this performance helped to change the narrative around the trade that landed Varsho, but he’s also served as an in-house power bat many Jays fans were hoping for at the trade deadline at the end of July.

As expected, General Manager Ross Atkins prioritized pitching at the deadline, bringing in relievers Seranthony Dominguez, and Louis Varland, and dealing for Shane Bieber, who’s expected to make his team debut sometime later this month. When first baseman Ty France was included in the deal with the Minnesota Twins that featured Varland, it had some fans scratching their heads.

France was amid a mediocre season and hadn’t approached league-average numbers for hitters since the 2023 campaign. But he gave the Blue Jays a more traditional look and experience as a backup first baseman (incumbent Will Wagner was dealt to the San Diego Padres for minor league catcher Brandon Valenzuela), provided the team with a needed additional right-handed bat, and wasn’t too far removed from being a productive player. From 2021 to 2023, France hit a total of 50 home runs with an OPS+ of 100+.

While France is an intriguing project for hitting coach David Popkins, the squad isn’t counting heavily on him. Instead, Varsho will resume his near-daily duties of patrolling centerfield and terrorizing opposing pitchers, especially right-handed ones.

With stars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both on fire since the All-Star break, and the resurgent George Springer set to return in the coming days, the Jays aren’t asking Varsho to be anything that he’s not. Swing at good pitches, make hard contact, and the results will undoubtedly be there.

When the Blue Jays traded for Varsho, they understood that he may never be a high-average hitter, and that was acceptable because of his impressive power and otherworldly defensive abilities. Given the contact skills of the rest of the lineup, he can continue to focus on those two aspects of his game to give his team a boost as they approach the stretch run.