How the Blue Jays Should Line Up Against Right-Handed Pitching
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Now, it sure has been a disappointing season for the Toronto Blue Jays, and wrongfully so, as this team should be looking well above the .500 line, not the latter. Individually, the Jays have had some really special performances, but getting all together on the same night has been an issue.
So, when everyone became accustomed to the offensive masterpiece that was the Jays' 2025 postseason run, it was shocking to see the opposite through the first half, and that is in part due to a few different things.
- Injuries dismantled the roster before it even began.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has had a nightmare of a season.
- The batting order has been made primarily from an analytical standpoint, not the eye test.
In layman's terms, they have been without key guys, but veterans' struggles have hurt more than anything, compounded by John Schneider's refusal to drastically and consistently make changes with the order.
Managing 1 run in yesterday's loss to SF after recording back-to-back shutout defeats to SEA, the #BlueJays offence has been dismal of late (after being mediocre most of the season already). Currently averaging 3.92 runs per game, the 2026 edition of the Jays sits 6th worst here pic.twitter.com/r8iegMzkez
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) July 7, 2026
Honestly, when looking at an injured list as long as the roster at times, as well as Vladdy's sub-200 batting average in both June and July, it is shocking that their season isn't a loss, but it isn't as rookies and a few other unsuspected characters have kept it alive.
However, Schneider should make a change because when he has really scrambled it up, there have been good things to come from it. It is vital that this team gets the most it can out of this little blurb of offensive momentum.
Who Should Hit Where vs. the Padres This Weekend
The road trip hasn't been an ideal situation for the Blue Jays after they went nearly three games without scoring a run. So, to say it is important for the bats to find some life is an understatement.
Now, with a team that is not in short supply of left-handed batters, it is important to note that this will have to mix up significantly when a lefty is on the mound, like Friday evening against the Padres. When facing a right-hander, this is how it should go:
- 2B Ernie Clement
- LF Nathan Lukes
- DH George Springer
- C Brandon Valenzuela
- 3B Kazuma Okamoto
- 1B Sean Keys
- CF Daulton Varsho
- RF Myles Straw
- SS Andrés Giménez
People will say, "Oh, Vlad hit a home run on Wednesday; he should stay in there,". Well, he did, but it was in the 8th inning with Toronto capping off another dominant performance. There was no pressure, and he wasn't giving good at-bats prior to that.
Guerrero Jr. could have turned a corner there, but if he spends the weekend doing the same thing, his confidence will have gained nothing. If he can ride the high of a homer and take a full week off, then they might be on to something.
The proposed lineup gives the team a very defensive matchup in the outfield, as seen in their comeback victory against the Chicago Cubs. Then, the outstanding rookies are all in the meat of the order, with the two best players to get on base in the last two weeks.
Don't give up on this lineup after a game; give them some reps and see what happens. They have earned that much.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.