Toronto Blue Jays Have Two Top Clutch Performers in Major League Baseball
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The Toronto Blue Jays are right in the mix for a playoff spot in the American League.
If they want to remain in that spot, they need to add some more starting pitching to the roster ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
There is a lot of pressure on Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios to continue performing at a high level with Kevin Gausman struggling, Bowden Francis on the injured list and Max Scherzer just making his return to the mound.
If the Blue Jays can’t find the kind of starting pitching help they are seeking on the trade market, the continued improvement at the plate would certainly help.
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Toronto has been receiving more consistent production from its lineup, which has led to more runs being scored and victories.
There are a lot of talented players in the lineup, with some unheralded players such as Ernie Clement, Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes stepping up.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is catching fire in recent weeks, but there are two players who stand out for their clutch performances this season: shortstop Bo Bichette and catcher Alejandro Kirk.
They are amongst the two most clutch performers in the MLB in 2025, as shared by Thomas Nestico on X.
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Most "Clutch" Players pic.twitter.com/uOyJPEGTGH
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 25, 2025
Bichette has a clutch score of 0.83, which is good enough for 12th in baseball and a tie with Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott.
He has quieted a lot of critics after a slow start in the power department this campaign. After not hitting his first home run until May 3, he now has 11 on the year to go along with 19 doubles and 48 RBI.
While not quite at the level he was from 2021-23 when he made the AL All-Star Team twice, this is still a step in the right direction from last season when he battled injuries and ineffectiveness.
Kirk is a little further down the clutch score list with a 0.78, which is tied for 15th with Washington Nationals star left fielder, James Wood.
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Known more for his defensive prowess, Kirk is approaching the same level of production he had in 2022, when he was selected to the AL All-Star Team.
Through 65 games and 260 plate appearances, he has a .310/.354/.431 slash line with an OPS+ of 119 and 1.8 bWAR.
He has hit seven home runs and eight doubles, driving in 36 runs as one of the better all-around backstops in the MLB.
For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.
