The Toronto Blue Jays have two players that they are very concerned about
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The Toronto Blue Jays have had a solid start to the season, staying above .500 for most of the campaign. They're firmly in the mix in the American League East, thanks to consistent performances from players throughout their 26-man roster.
The Toronto Blue Jays have played well this season despite slow starts from Yariel Rodriguez and Anthony Santander.
After a solid rookie season as a starter with the Blue Jays in 2024, Rodriguez began this year in the bullpen. The move was mainly influenced by the offseason addition of Max Scherzer and the rise of Bowden Francis.
Edward Eng from the Jays Journal writes that Rodriguez has had a tough time adjusting to his new role. The 28-year-old righty has recorded a 6.14 ERA over just 7 1/3 innings, giving up runs in three of his seven appearances so far this season.
"While his numbers are a bit inflated thanks to a rough first outing of the season where he allowed three runs in one inning, he'll need to be a bit more consistent before he can be trusted in high-leverage situations." -Eng
Given the Blue Jays' five-year, $95.5 million investment in Santander, it was expected that he would have a strong start to the season. However, after 18 games, the 30-year-old outfielder has struggled, hitting just .216 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Eng also writes that if Santander's current performance continues over a full 162-game season, he would end up with only 18 home runs and 54 RBIs, a significant drop from the 44 home runs and 102 RBIs he posted last year with the Orioles.
"While the Jays were likely prepared for Santander's numbers to take a bit of a dip this year, but I don't think they were expected that drop off to be this serve." -Eng
There is still hope, though. Santander is known for being a slow starter, and both of his home runs have come in the Blue Jays' last four games, suggesting he might be finding his rhythm.
While the Blue Jays have managed to win without relying heavily on home runs, they'll need to increase their power output eventually to remain competitive in the tough American League East.
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