The Toronto Blue Jays wrapped up their series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, taking two out of three games. They ended the series on a high note, with their offense peaking in a 9-2 win. The main difference so far between last season and this season is the Blue Jays’ improvement with RISP. Last season, the Blue Jays struggled with cashing in runs with less than two outs. But in this series, we witnessed the Blue Jays cashing in with two outs by Alejandro Kirk. Kirk is known for being a player who rarely strikes out and makes great contact at the plate. Justin Turner also recorded 4 RBI and hit his first home run with the Blue Jays to help cement their win. It was also no surprise that Davis Schneider came out big in his debut with a home run. The Blue Jays were also able to provide run support for Kevin Gausman, which was a big issue last season.
Blue Jays Come Through with RISP vs. Rays
Why Davis Schneider Deserves To Play Everyday
Now it’s Davis Schneider’s turn.
In his first game of the season, Schneider goes yard. The #BlueJays are starting to pile it on. pic.twitter.com/qelszSHTRv
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) March 31, 2024
While Schneider has earned a bench spot on the roster, he has already showcased why he deserves to play every day. Schneider has picked up where he left off from last season. He helped extend the Blue Jays lead by going yard and hitting his first home run of the season. Last season, when Schneider was called up to the Blue Jays, critics on social media made their fair share of remarks. Mostly, that Schneider wouldn’t be successful. But boy, did he silence the haters. For a small guy, he sure does come out big. Last season, Schneider was most impressive when he faced the Boston Red Sox. It will be exciting to see how he plays with a larger sample size of playing time. Schneider deserves every opportunity to play in the starting lineup. Last year, it was foolish of manager John Schneider not to play his leading OPS player against the Baltimore Orioles towards the end of the season. During Spring Training this season, Schneider also made an amazing defensive play in the outfield. The catch he made was unbelievable and showcased his skillset.
Alejandro Kirk Providing Extra Offense
Captain Alejandro Kirk drives in another run, his fourth RBI of the season.pic.twitter.com/5RkM5rsr9K
— Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) March 31, 2024
Kirk has already recorded 4 RBI for the Blue Jays this season. He is projected to have a strong 2024 season and bounce back from last season. Kirk not only makes good contact at the plate but is a solid defensive catcher for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are lucky to have two catchers with well-grounded offense. Danny Jansen remains on the IL but is set to return to the lineup soon. Once he returns and remains healthy, he can be an additional player who can come out big for the Blue Jays with RISP. If there’s one word to describe Kirk, “clutch” definitely fits the bill. So far, Kirk has showcased that he can help the Blue Jays with RISP.
Justin Turner Delivers
Justin Turner has done already what Belt couldn’t muster the majority of last season — driving in runs rather than striking out with runners on base.
RBI matter.
— Blue Jays (Grand) Dad (@BlueJaysDad) March 31, 2024
Turner has done exactly what he’s been brought in to do for the Blue Jays: drive in runs. Turner is a veteran player who had a career-high in RBI last season with the Red Sox, recording 96. All four of Justin Turner’s hits for the Blue Jays have come off the fastball. There was a lot of discussion in the offseason about Turner being 39 years old and his age being a red flag. Clearly, Turner still has it, and his age isn’t playing a factor in his plate production. He will be a key player that will propel the Blue Jays with RISP. Turner should continue to play a major role in the Blue Jays offense this season. Justin Turner helped power the Blue Jays to a series split.
That’s A Wrap
The Blue Jays are set to take on the Houston Astros on Monday with Bowden Francis on the mound. It was egg-citing for the Blue Jays to wrap up the series on Easter and take two games from the Rays. As the season goes on, it will be interesting to see what the team’s capabilities will be once all their injured players return to the lineup. Schneider, Kirk, and Turner all did their part in helping the Blue Jays seal a much-needed victory. One of the big hopes going into 2024 was that the Blue Jays RISP issue would turn around this season. We witnessed the improvement during Spring Training, and in particular, fans couldn’t wait to see how their new veteran player Turner would come up big at crucial moments for the Blue Jays.
Photo Credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
