Determining the keys to success for the 2023 Toronto Blue Jays

Analyzing the keys to success for the 2023 Toronto Blue Jays.

As the 2023 MLB season begins, many Blue Jays fans are excited to see the new changes that they have made this offseason, including both the acquisitions of new players for the team, as well as the long overdue renovations of Rogers Centre, their home ballpark.  However, for the team to be successful and have a productive winning season, there are five key determining factors that will help dictate it.

Player Versatility

One of the uniqueness with the current Blue Jays roster is that they include a fair number of players that can play multiple positions competently.  This includes Whit Merrifield, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, and to some extent, Nathan Lukes and Daulton Varsho.  Among them, they possess various skills that exemplify differences in speed, defense, power, and batting handedness.  As a result, it enables Schneider to deploy various different lineup combinations and fielding configurations each game based on their opponent.  How effectively Schneider does this will no doubt be critical in the Jays’ success in winning against equally strong competition.

MLB Rule Change – Pitch Clock

Heading into the 2023 season, three new league-wide rules have been implemented to help with increasing the flow to the game, as well as creating more potential action for the players and the fans.  This includes the usage of larger bases, a pitch clock, and defensive shift restrictions.  Of these rules, the pitch clock can potentially have the most effect on the Jays’ pitching staff.

By implementing the pitch clock, pitchers are now forced to deliver pitches at a more rapid rate, with less down time between pitches and batters.  For younger pitchers that haven’t pitched that long in their career yet, like Alek Manoah, the adjustment may be minimal and easier.  However, for older, veteran pitchers, like Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt, this may pose an issue. 

Veteran pitchers typically have developed habits and grown into a routine over the years that makes them pitch effectively.  Having them suddenly change their daily habits and pitch faster could potentially lead to greater fatigue, due to the fact that there is less rest time.  In addition, they could require an adjustment period, or even worse, may even need to change their pitching mechanics to make up for the adjustment.  This is kind of equivalent to say, every day, you take 10 minutes to shower every morning and you have been doing it for many years.  Now you have to do it in five minutes total, so how effectively you will be clean and how tiring it may be to rush those five minutes to get everything done may be an issue. 

Early results from Spring Training have proven promising for Gausman; in fact, he seemed even better than before, not allowing an earned run and striking out 18 over 13.2 innings pitched. However, Bassitt appears to be struggling a bit, yielding an ERA above 5 and a WHIP over 1.4, which are both substantially above his career averages. Hopefully that it is mainly due to his short term adjustments to the pitch clock and not something that will hinder his effectiveness from here on. So how well all of the veteran pitchers on the Jays’ staff can adjust to the pitch timer and be effective at the same time will ultimately determine the Jays’ pitching success.

Defense Over Offence Mentality

One of the major focuses in the Blue Jays offseason involved the shipping out of offensive-minded players and the acquisition of more defensively-minded players to help shore up the team’s main weakness in the past few years.  By trading away Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernández, and Gabriel Moreno, and acquiring Varsho and signing Kiermaier, the Jays have definitely changed the overall makeup of their outfield. 

Both Gurriel and Hernández have been consistently productive in driving in runs, as well as batting for a decent average for the Jays during their tenure here, but have shown some defensive lapses from time to time.  By adding Varsho and Kiermaier, they have evolved into a more stronger defending team, but sacrificing quite a bit on offence.

Both Varsho and Kiermaier hit for a lower average (lower than .250 career-wise) with limited run production thus far, although Varsho has shown some promise to potentially break out soon.  Hence, will the sacrifice in offence be made up by the saving of runs defensively?  We will know if the Jays suddenly find themselves struggling to produce runs, or if they find themselves on the winning side of many tight games due to runs saved.

Dynamic Core Player Changes

Team chemistry is often an underrated component when building a strong, successful and competitive team.  How well players get along with each other, as well as the care and support in helping each other and developing the team winning mentality goes a long way in leading to the ultimate goal.  Part of that team chemistry is usually built around a certain “core” group. 

In the Blue Jays' case, their ascension to playoff contenders in recent few years have been led by the main core group of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Hernández, and Gurriel. This is kind of equivalent to the Leafs’ version of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander.  However, both Gurriel and Hernández (both fun and heart of the team) have been dealt away this past winter, with newcomers in Varsho, Kiermaier, and Belt representing the new team dynamics of playing hard, veteran leadership and seriousness. 

This would be similar to trading away Nylander and Tavares for the Leafs to build towards a new team dynamic environment.  How much this affects core players like Guerrero and Bichette, and their focus on team success with the new players will ultimately determine where this team is headed for both the 2023 season and the years beyond.

Hopefully for the Jays, all of these factors will work out successfully and that we will endure in a nice, long and enjoyable playoff run this coming fall!