Josh Smith’s power surge gives Blue Jays a reason to rethink their lineup

When the Toronto Blue Jays made their moves at the trade deadline, it wasn't clear if they were buying or selling. Given how the team has played since then (20-12), maybe they were pulling a fast one. Outfielder Brett Bateman has been the most obvious as an effective addition, but utility player Josh Smith has been a pleasant surprise as well.

Acquired from the Texas Rangers with Triple-A pitcher Josh Stephan for pitcher Adam Macko, Josh Smith was thought to just be a depth piece. But in 18 games with the Blue Jays, Smith has slashed .257/.381/.600 with an OPS of .981 in 44 plate appearences. He has scored 11 runs, drawn seven walks, and hit four home runs, including a solo shot Sunday in Kansas City. For those scoring at home, that's a 36-home run pace over the course of a full season.

Blue Jays should have Josh Smith at the plate against righties more often

Smith, 29, has experience at every position except for pitcher and catcher, but usually plays second base, third base, and left field. In 2026, Smith was dealing with some early-season injuries, including a battle with viral meningitis in May, which may have contributed to his .213 average, .299 on-base percentage, and .272 slugging percentage in 45 games with Texas. He was sent down to the Triple-A Round Rock Express in July.

It's no surprise the Blue Jays are seeing more wins as they score more runs. Dating back to the Seattle series at the end of August, Toronto has won seven of nine, while scoring 51 runs, or averaging 5.67 runs per game. The team is currently tied for 27th place in the majors with 580 runs in 144 games, even with the current momentum. So, offense is always a need with this team. After all, Toronto did score 529 runs in 135 games prior, an average of 3.92 runs a game.

There are a few reasons why runs are hard to come by in 2026 for the Blue Jays, ranging from a lack of early runs, hitting with runners in scoring position, to the struggles of players such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. So, if runs are going to come from the bat of a utility guy who was traded for a reliever, so be it. Besides, Smith has had some offensive success in the majors. The 2024 utility Silver Slugger Award winner and left-handed bat posted back-to-back seasons with an OPS of more than .700 until this season.

Smith has earned the chance to see some more plate appearances, but they should be strictly against right-handed pitching. He is slashing .241/.343/.379 with an OPS of .722 in 169 plate appearances this year against righties, as opposed to .115/.148/.115 and a .264 OPS in 29 appearances against lefties. It's something Blue Jays manager John Schneider should and probably does consider when filling out the lineup card.

Of course, the question is, where does Smith get those starts? He's not taking the places of Guerrero at first or Kazuma Okamoto at third base. Andrés Giménez at shortstop seems redundant, since Giménez and Smith are left-handed hitters. Maybe if Giménez needs a day off or something, the switch makes sense. That leaves Ernie Clement at second base, a right-handed hitter and fan favorite.

Clement was an All-Star this season, but has cooled off considerably with less-than-stellar numbers in July and August. For the year, his OPS is down to .688, with only 10 extra-base hits (two home runs) in the last two months. Giving Smith a few starts at second to give Clement a break may be something to consider.

There's also left field to consider. Remember, Smith has experience all over the field, and left field is one of his more experienced positions. Blue Jay fans are probably tired of Jesús Sánchez in left field, after he made another mistake defensively Sunday in Kansas City, dropping a fly ball that should have been caught. Sánchez, a left-handed hitter, hasn't been doing much offensively. He hasn't homered since Aug. 5 and went 9-for-41 in August and is 1-for-7 in September.

Currently sitting at 72-72, the Blue Jays are a game out of the final wild card spot with 18 games remaining. These games are important, so every run (and defensive play) for Toronto will be vital. So, as a result, Smith should be in the batter's box a little more often.

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