Blue Jays riding unsung heroes through hot stretch 4251h

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to be a wild ride, sweeping the Athletics in a four-game series at Rogers Centre and riding a five-game winning streak heading into a tough matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies. After struggling mightily just one week ago in Tampa Bay and Texas, the offense erupted to score 39 runs in four games. 1933x

Here, we look at a few storylines that have emerged lately and investigate how they might shape things moving forward.

How for real is Barger? 662q6u

Addison Barger had a monster weekend series against the Athletics and appears to be on the verge of truly breaking out.

The 25-year-old had six hits in four games, including a double and three home runs. Each homer was crushed, with exit velocities of 109.8 mph, 109.4 mph, and 112.3 mph. Barger's raw power stands out, as he ranks in the 99th percentile among hitters with a 95.1-mph average exit velocity this season.

Barger's biggest improvements this year have been his plate discipline and defense. He's cut down his strikeouts and increased his walk rate from a 69-game stint with the Blue Jays in 2024.

Defensively, Barger sits in the 83rd percentile with two outs above average after finishing last campaign minus-6. His arm strength has been a huge asset at third base, and he's put together a seven-run swing in defensive run value from 2024 to 2025. Everything points to Barger's start to the season being more of a trend than a mirage. That could be a game-changer for the Blue Jays as they look to stay in the postseason conversation deep into the summer.

All-Star Kirk returns 3w202t

Alejandro Kirk is playing his best baseball in almost three years. The 26-year-old was an All-Star in 2022 and one of the top catchers in the sport. But he struggled to replicate that form over the past two years, emerging more as a great defensive catcher with middling offensive production.

The light turned back on at the plate for Kirk in May. He finished the month with a .365 average, .849 OPS, and just four strikeouts in 74 at-bats. His 54.3% hard-hit rate is the highest of his six-year career. Red metrics (red means good) also fill Kirk's Baseball Savant page on both the offensive and defensive sides.

The Blue Jays made a bet that Kirk would be a stabilizing force behind the plate when they signed him to a five-year contract extension ahead of the season. So far, Kirk is validating that confidence.

Managing Varsho's absence 691c4j

Toronto suffered a tough blow when Gold Glove outfielder Daulton Varsho strained his left hamstring while trying to leg out a triple against the Athletics. The Blue Jays listed Varsho as week-to-week, and he'll likely miss most of June due to the injury.

In Varsho's absence, it looks like the club will fill center field using Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes. Varsho is far from a perfect player, but his combination of power and elite defensive play is hard to come by in the position. Expect Straw to play against left-handed pitchers and Lukes to start against righties.

Lukes has been one of the unsung heroes over the first few months of the season, posting a 130 wRC+ with four home runs and a .369 on-base percentage in 43 games. Straw's numbers against left-handed pitching jump off the page. He's hitting .333 with a .769 OPS in 42 at-bats versus southpaws this campaign.

Straw's ed three outs above average in center field this season and is a far superior defensive option than Lukes. While it won't be perfect, the Blue Jays should get by without Varsho if Lukes and Straw can continue producing at a similar level for the next few weeks.

Rodríguez finds ideal role 17544l

Yariel Rodríguez has worn a few different hats for Toronto since g a five-year, $32-million contract ahead of the 2024 campaign. He showed flashes in 21 starts during his rookie year with a 4.47 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings. The Blue Jays moved him into more of a swingman relief role heading into this season, with other options available in the rotation.

Rodríguez had a bumpy March and April, ing a 5.68 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 11 appearances. However, things completely changed for the 28-year-old in May when the team deployed him in a more consistent role. Rodríguez responded by dominating opposing hitters to a 0.53 ERA with 18 strikeouts against three walks in 17 innings.

With Yimi García sidelined because of a shoulder impingement, Rodríguez's emergence has become even more important as he moves into a high-leverage role. He's thrived under the pressure, holding opposing hitters to a paltry .308 OPS with just two hits in 20 at-bats in high-leverage situations. Rodríguez has found his niche.

Clement, the unsung hero 5c234t

Ernie Clement has been a difference-maker. The versatile infielder is a plus defender and has made multiple appearances at every infield spot outside of catcher. Additionally, Clement is in the 100th percentile in outs above average and tied for second among all players in Baseball Savant's runs prevented with eight.

Clement's defensive value has never been up for debate. It was always about trying to pin down how much he could produce at the plate. He had a breakout offensive season in 2024, but most of his batted-ball numbers were less-than-stellar. After he struggled to start this campaign, Clement found his stride in May, slashing .306/.349/.469 with three home runs, seven doubles, and 12 RBIs across 98 at-bats.

Surprisingly, Clement leads all Blue Jays in fWAR at 1.7 and looks poised to blow past his 2024 mark of 2.2 fWAR. While Clement will never be a hitter who finds himself on exit velocity leaderboards, he has excellent skills and an ability to put the bat on the ball. He's more than earned a regular place in the lineup moving forward, even with Andrés Giménez set to return from the injured list.