108: Tulowitzki's reawakening helping Blue Jays bats surge
By: Tyler King
Canadian Baseball Network
The two days separating Canada Day and America’s Independence Day - July 2 and 3 - do not hold any widespread significance on the North American calendar. But should postseason baseball reign again in Toronto in 2016, those two calendar squares may come to mean something to Blue Jays fans.
On July 2, just a day after a devastating 19-inning loss on Canada’s birthday, the Jays rallied late to win a close, thrilling affair - becoming the first team to beat the streaking Cleveland Indians in the last 15 tries.
They then followed that performance with their biggest offensive onslaught of the season, scoring 17 runs on 18 hits.
Plating 26 runs over two consecutive games is undoubtedly a rare accomplishment, one that hadn’t been achieved by the Blue Jays since 1978. So to use the tired phrase, those two contests really did feel like “statement games” - or, forgive me, a potential “turning point” - whatever broad definition that may take.
But as tempting as it is to add significance to those two games, the offensive rebirth had actually begun long before the Indians came to town.
The Jays hitters had been busy righting their individual and collective ships since the beginning of June, and ended up second in the MLB in both runs scored (158) and home runs (47) for the month, posting a record of 15-12.
And for all that they have their biggest hitters (not named “Bautista”) to thank ...
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I can’t help but cringe as I’m forced to remember listening to some of the horrifying opinions being espoused on Twitter and talk radio just a short time ago, especially the ones calling for the demotion or removal of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
Now there’s no reason to grant every opinion credence - there are, after-all, people who believe the earth is flat, climate change is a hoax, and Kevin Pillar isn’t the best defensive centre fielder in the American League - but in fairness Tulo’s play was beginning to force many of his supporters to have to engage in constant arguments on his behalf.
When he went on the disabled list on May 27 he was hitting just .204, and even the staunchest Tulo-lovers must have given up hope of ever seeing the Colorado Rockies version ever again.
That being said, I’m sure fans would have gladly settled for even a shell of the former five-time all-star, who was a career .300 hitter before joining the Jays last season.
But the good news is, based on his play since returning from injury on June 18, fans may not have to cry (or even settle) in the end.
In his first 14 games back, Tulo has bumped his average 34 points (from .204 to .238). He’s hit .339 (19-for-56) over that span, mashing six homers and cashing in 14 RBI in the process.
Those are impressive numbers to be sure, but they should not be the main cause for excitement over his improved play. Perhaps the best sign of Tulo’s turnaround has come in the form of his strikeouts - or now lack thereof.
In 46 games prior to going on the DL, Tulowitzki struck out 49 times (over a strikeout per game) - an incredibly high rate by his career standard.
Of course I fully recognize that there were many Jays hitters swatting at flies early in the season, but with Tulo’s offensive pedigree the amount of swing-and-misses were much more curious, not to mention more concerning. For his career he has just 810 strikeouts in 4847 plate appearance (roughly one strikeout every six PAs).
But since coming back from the DL, Tulo has struck out just 6 times in 59 PAs (or nearly one strikeout every 10 PAs). Definitely a good sign that he’s rounding into form ... or at the very least that his eyeballs are working again.
With Jose Bautista still nursing an injured toe, it’s safe to say that Tulo has jumped into the vacant spot in the Blue Jays “Big Three”, alongside sluggers Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson - two players who also saw massive improvements in June.
Among all AL hitters last month with over 75 PAs, Donaldson was sixth in average (.368) and second in OBP (.487), having walked 22 times.
Just how good is that? The highest average he posted in a single month last year - his MVP season - was .324 (last August). His batting average has jumped from .257 on May 31 to .292 at the end of play on June 30, catapulting him back into another potential MVP conversation should this production continue.
Donaldson was also fourth in SLG (.705) and second in OPS (1.193) for the month of June despite hitting only six home runs. (Hey, when talking about a reigning MVP and 40 home run guy, you’re allowed to say “only six” ...)
He did, however, have four triples and six doubles for 16 extra base hits. He also now leads leads the league in runs scored with 73, and has climbed to fourth in the AL in RBI after cashing in 24 last month.
But as well as Donaldson has been playing, Encarnacion refuses to be outdone, and there’s an argument to be made that Eddie has been slightly more productive (or, in terms of offence, more “valuable”).
He mashed the most home runs in the AL last month with 11 (tied with Adam Jones). He also hit .308/.448/.736 with an OPS of 1.193, leading the league in both walks (23) and RBI (30).
But his 30 RBI not only led the league for the month, they also extended his season lead by a wide margin.
Eddie currently has 76 RBI, which puts him on pace for nearly 150 ... and although number may be unrealistic he is now 10 RBI ahead of Nolen Arenado and David Ortiz, who are tied for second in the majors.
Donaldson and Encarnacion combined for over 54 RBI in June, or over a third of the Blue Jays 158 total runs. And with the improved play of Tulowitzki, there’s no doubt that opposing pitchers are once again shuddering at having to face this incarnation of the Jays “Big Three” .
And no, I haven’t forgotten about Bautista, who is projected to return to the lineup after the upcoming all-star break.
In fact I’ve already started drafting an article on his return ...
If Donaldson, Encarnacion, and Tulowitzki manage to stay anywhere near their current pace, you can bet on it being about “The Big Four.”