Toronto Blue Jays (38-32) @ Texas Rangers (42-26) | June 16-18, 2023

[Randle McMurphy]

Gurriel has struggled mightily for the past two weeks or so after coming back from his groin injury. He was hitting very well before the injury. Moreno is still one of the best catchers in the NL in throwing out runners, in his first year as a Catcher. His bat has slipped a bit, after hitting around .300 for two months. However, Varsho has sucked all year with the bat. When it seems he has a few good games, he then resorts to what he has always been the last 4 years. High Strikeout and no plate discipline. Trade was bad, not allegedly bad if Varsho hits in the .210 to.220 range all year.

Moreno’s bat has not just slipped a bit, he’s having a terrible offensive season (84 wRC+). He has virtually no power it seems, which was always the worry with him.

And Lourdes is doing what he has always done, streaking for a while and then cooling off, to ultimately end up as the mediocre player he is. Belt has had the better offensive season of the two so far, which again isn’t a surprise.

I had no problem trading Gurriel and Moreno. However, to trade your top prospect and above average hitter like Gurriel, I wanted more than a better version of Bradley Zimmer. I seen what Varsho has offered for 4 years. Moreno was still hitting over .300 for two months in his rookie year. Rather take that and his lack of power, then the high Strikeout and terrible plate discipline of Varsho. Gurriel had a rough two weeks coming back from his injury. You still do not trade those two players for a better version of Bradley Zimmer, who gives you little at the plate. A shorter version of an improved Bradley Zimmer with a height of 5 foot 9-10, and a bit more power. Love the man's defense, but his Batting Average, OBP, OPS all have declined since 2021 and have been below average this year. Varsho is the definition of a mediocre hitter.

Even if this is all Varsho ever is offensively (a league average bat with some pop), if Moreno never hits and never finds any power himself, the Jays may still win that trade anyway given that Varsho is likely to be an elite CFer defensively for the rest of his team control.

It should also be pointed out that the Jays also clearly have two better catchers on the roster than Moreno right now. From a win now perspective, there was again nothing wrong with it. Even not hitting as well as hoped, Varsho has still been the best player in the deal (not counting Lourdes’ unsustainable hot streak that quickly came to a massive halt to return him to what he actually is).

It remains unclear to me why anybody was or is in a hurry to judge it after two months. It will take years to determine who got more value out of this deal and there’s no clear favourite right now in that regard.

[Mehar]

Problem is that Varsho is not even a league average bat with some pop. He has not been one all year. His OPS, OBP and BA have been terrible this year. Last year's numbers all had declined from 2021. He also hit below .200 in his rookie year and was atrocious with the bat in his rookie year. I doubt Moreno in Year 4 will be as terrible as Varsho with the bat. Granted if Varsho can come around and be at least average with the bat with his pop, then I could buy your argument.Time will tell. However, I can assure you the Jays front office expected more than a better version of Bradley Zimmer when they acquired Varsho. Zimmer was an excellent defender too, but struggled mightily at the plate. He was also 6-7 inches taller than Varsho, who at 5 foot 9/10 struggled to catch some balls in CF due to his height. So, people might scoff at me calling Varsho a slightly better version of Zimmer, but looking at the numbers that is what Varsho has been all year. Hope Varsho can change that the next few months.

[polo007]

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[Randle McMurphy]

Problem is that Varsho is not even a league average bat with some pop. He has not been one all year. His OPS, OBP and BA have been terrible this year. Last year's numbers all had declined from 2021. He also hit below .200 in his rookie year and was atrocious with the bat in his rookie year. I doubt Moreno in Year 4 will be as terrible as Varsho with the bat. Granted if Varsho can come around and be at least average with the bat with his pop, then I could buy your argument.Time will tell. However, I can assure you the Jays front office expected more than a better version of Bradley Zimmer when they acquired Varsho. Zimmer was an excellent defender too, but struggled mightily at the plate. He was also 6-7 inches taller than Varsho, who at 5 foot 9/10 struggled to catch some balls in CF due to his height. So, people might scoff at me calling Varsho a slightly better version of Zimmer, but looking at the numbers that is what Varsho has been all year. Hope Varsho can change that the next few months.

It’s also unclear why you keep calling Varsho a slightly better version of Bradley Zimmer. Zimmer had a 26 wRC+ for the Jays last year (Varsho is at 93 wRC+), in what was a historically bad season offensively in franchise history.

It would be like calling Alejandro Kirk a slightly better version of Luke Maile because he’s not hitting for any power any longer.

[Raider917]

does Richards have a new pitch limit today?

[Randle McMurphy]

Seems like Richards may not be the Manoah solution after all. At least Mitch White will be in soon.

[Corinne]

Who do we have as our Chapman replacement atm, with Barger still perhaps being 2 years away from being 2 years away? Or do we try to sign Chappy for cheap considering his quality has dropped off.

[SharoneWright]

If foul balls are now home runs, I’ve hit thousands!

[HangTime]

If one angle shows foul, it has to be foul right?

[JN]

Who is the PBP guy today (and yesterday)?... only caught portions of each game.

[Jago88]

Who is the PBP guy today (and yesterday)?... only caught portions of each game.

Ben Wagner, usually the radio play by play. He is better on radio! I think they usually have Matt Devlin stand in for Dan but I think I saw he dropped something on his foot or broke his leg or something...anyway, some leg injury that required a hospital stay recently

[rarefind]

Another year and another manager that I am sick of.

[Asianiac_24]

pinch hit Espinal? lol

[jaymeister15]

Siddal has given up on trying to defend Schneiders awful decisions.

[Randle McMurphy]

Fire him.

[Randle McMurphy]

Getting rid of Gibbons was the worst thing this management ever did.

[linery88]

Hazel interviewed Vlad just before the season on what he likes to eat.He said he likes poutine,and lays ketchup chips.
Him,Manoah,and Kirk should eat better.Manoah likes steak.Not sure what Kirk likes.
If those 3 paid attention to diet etc like ie Semien,Shohei..I think we would be much closer to 1st place-imo.Vlad has no consistent discipline at the plate or running the bases right now,but he can still play good defense.

[Ranger One]

Another game, another 2 runs. Womp womp!

All we need now is to clone Gausman 4 more times and we'd be the best team in baseball while scoring 2 runs a game.

[Hottie McShotty]

Anyone getting tired of watching this offense? You are not going to win too many games if your offense is scoring less than 3 runs a game. Fire Martinez and place Mattingly as the hitting coach. This is getting ridiculous!

[Hottie McShotty]

Jays should send Shapiro, Atkins, and Schneider to the Florida development league.