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6 Blue Jays players who put up eye-catching numbers this spring
By Edward Eng
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t have as miserable of a season as many had thought last year. After all, he still managed to hit .264 with a .788 OPS, along with 78 runs scored, 30 doubles, 26 home runs and 94 RBI in 156 games played, which were great offensive numbers. But because of the standards that he set during his MVP-calibre season in 2021, he has been compared to that standard ever since, leading to some disappointment as a result.
Looking for a fresh start to the new year, Guerrero had entered training camp in great shape and has subsequently put up some outstanding numbers as a result. In 15 games, he batted .463 with a 1.218 OPS, with 6 runs scored, 3 home runs and 11 RBI. To put things into perspective, the last time he did this well in the preseason was back in 2021 when he hit .421 with a 1.248 OPS, 9 runs scored, 2 home runs and 10 RBI. So perhaps Guerrero is giving the team a forecast of what is yet to come in 2024, as another MVP-calibre performance could be in the works. For the Jays, they will sure hope that is indeed the case, as they will need him to be on the forefront in leading the charge for the team to have any kind of success this season.
Alejandro Kirk
After having an All-Star breakout season in 2022 when he posted a slash line of .285/.372/.415/.787 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI, Alejandro Kirk fell harshly back down to earth in his encore performance. Last year, he compiled a .250 average, .692 OPS, along with just 34 runs scored, 8 home runs and 43 RBI in 123 games played. As a result, fellow backstop teammate Danny Jansen actually outperformed him to surpass him for the starting role, but his troubles with the injury bug gave Kirk some runway despite his struggles.
With Kirk hoping to redeem himself in 2024, things has gotten off on the right foot for him so far this spring. In 14 games, he has amassed a strong .342 batting average, along with a 1.074 OPS, 7 runs scored, 4 doubles, 3 home runs and 9 RBI. More importantly, he is starting to look like the confident and reliable Kirk of old. That will be crucial for the Jays, as with Jansen starting the season on the injured list, they will need Kirk to be at his best to help carry the load in the meantime.