The best and worst September performers from the current Blue Jays roster

Matt Chapman

In the case of Matt Chapman, luck has certainly not been on his side recently as just a few weeks ago, he injured his middle finger in a weight room accident that caused him to miss a few games in the process. However, that injury had lingered, so on August 28th, he was officially placed on the 10-day IL for his sprained right middle finger.

It may sound a bit harsh on Chapman, but the injury may be a blessing in disguise for him. He had been having a miserable month of August in which he has hit only .197 with only four runs scored, two doubles, one home run, six RBI with 29 strikeouts in 21 games played. If that wasn’t bad enough, what people don’t know is the fact that September has generally been Chapman’s worst performing month in his career.

Over his seven-year career, he has hit a dismal .198 with a .681 OPS, with just 25 doubles, 19 home runs and 65 RBI to go along with 167 strikeouts in 137 games played in the final month of the season. What that means is he hits almost 45 points below his normal average, and over 100 points below his usual OPS, while striking out at a high rate at the same time.

As a result, having his IL stint occur right now could actually help Chapman, as it gives him some time to reset and regroup while he recovers. That way, when he is healthy enough to come back later in the month, he will be fully recharged and well-rested, unlike any of his previous Septembers. So hopefully at that time, we will be seeing a revitalized Chapman that can ultimately produce a memorable final few weeks for everyone to remember.