Article: The Blue Jays Are Good? Yes, the Blue Jays Are Good

[Leo Morgenstern]

Hi there! Are you a Torontonian whose relationship with the Blue Jays starts and ends with Loonie Dog Night? Do you know the name Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but you're more familiar with his work in the Uncrustables commercials than on the baseball diamond? Or perhaps you're a dedicated fan who's watched every game, and you're still confused as to how the Jays have built a comfortable lead atop the AL East. Either way, this guide is for you.

The last time the Blue Jays held sole possession of first place in their division this late in the season was September 2016. The last time they won 10 games in a row was a year before that. They're on pace for their highest win total in a season since 1993. (Was that a special year? I can't remember.) So, if you're surprised or skeptical, you aren't alone. It's only been two years since the Blue Jays last made the playoffs, but last season's slow start and subsequent summer sell-off are fresher in all of our minds. And while the Blue Jays were good in 2022 and '23, they haven't been this good in close to a decade. How are they doing it?

This is part one of a two-part series. Today, I'll take a look at the individual players who have been most critical in helping the Blue Jays exceed expectations. Come back tomorrow for part two, in which I'll discuss a pair of significant team-wide trends. 

The stats and rankings in this article were updated prior to games on July 9.

Starting the Clock and Turning It Back
Several of Toronto's most valuable contributors this year are just starting the clocks on their major league careers.

Addison Barger is playing in his second MLB campaign and first full season. After struggling to make an impact in 69 games last year, he has been one of the Blue Jays' best hitters over his first 69 games in 2025. The 25-year-old boasts one of the fastest swings in the league, and, accordingly, he hits the ball harder than almost anyone. His average exit velocity (the speed at which balls come off his bat) leads the team and ranks second among qualified AL hitters, behind only the presumptive MVP Aaron Judge. His hard-hit rate (the percentage of his batted balls hit at 95 mph or faster) is also first on the Jays and third in the AL, trailing only Judge and All-Star Jonathan Aranda. 

Barger has put his tremendous strength to excellent use, slugging 21 doubles and 12 home runs. That's an average of one extra-base hit (double, triple, or home run) every 7.6 trips to the plate. The only AL batters (min. 200 plate appearances) who have hit for extra bases more often are Judge and MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh. I hope you're picking up on a pattern here: Barger has given us numerous legitimate reasons to utter his name in the same breath as generational superstar and future Hall of Famer Aaron Judge. A hitter of that calibre coming out of almost nowhere (Barger opened the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons) to join the middle of Toronto's lineup is one of the primary reasons the offense is thriving. 

Meanwhile, the bullpen has prospered thanks to three breakout arms: Brendon Little, Yariel Rodríguez, and Braydon Fisher. Little and Rodríguez are in their sophomore seasons, although Rodríguez is pitching out of the bullpen for the first time. Fisher is a rookie who made his MLB debut in May. All three have done a phenomenal job preventing runs, and they have slowly gained more of manager John Schneider's trust.

The veteran relievers who were supposed to anchor the bullpen haven't lived up to expectations. Jeff Hoffman has been wildly inconsistent. Yimi García has hurt himself twice; most recently, he slipped and sprained his ankle while getting into the tub. Erik Swanson has already been designated for assignment (i.e., cut), and Chad Green is teetering on the edge of a DFA himself. Yet, Little, Rodriguez, and Fisher have stepped up, and a Blue Jays bullpen that ranked among the worst in the game last year has transformed into a true strength.

Ernie Clement isn't a new big leaguer. He's in his fifth MLB season and his third with Toronto. However, he is a full-time player for the first time, and he's making a name for himself as one of the game's premier infield defenders. He has offered the Blue Jays strong defense at all four infield positions, and his versatility has been extraordinarily valuable to Schneider as the manager fills out his lineup cards. 

Various online sources calculate a comprehensive value statistic called Wins Above Replacement (WAR). WAR attempts to capture all of a player's contributions in one simple number. According to each of the two most prominent versions of WAR (from FanGraphs and Baseball Reference), Clement has been the second most productive player on the team, and he's the only player who ranks in the top three of both versions. He may not have a set role in the starting lineup, but Clement is one of the most indispensable members of this ballclub.

The final player who demands recognition is the farthest thing from a breakout youngster. George Springer leads the Blue Jays in several offensive categories, including home runs, runs batted in (RBI), and stolen bases, as well as the comprehensive batting stats OPS and wRC+. The multi-time All-Star is approaching his 36th birthday, and from 2023-24, he seemed to be showing his age. In 2025, he has turned back the clock, and he's hitting as well as ever. If we're talking about contributions from unexpected places, Springer's resurgent showing has been just as important as any younger player's performance.

These six aren't the only talented players on the Blue Jays, and they aren't the only reasons the team is succeeding. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk were recently named All-Stars, and rightly so, for their strong first-half performances. Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt might not be flashy, but they are three of the most durable and reliable starting pitchers in the league. Tyler Heineman has been better than any backup catcher has any right to be. 

However, it's no big surprise that Vladdy and Captain Kirk are heading to the All-Star Game. They've been there before. As for Gausman, Berríos, and Bassit, they're doing their jobs and doing them well, but they aren't knocking anyone's socks off. Heineman has been a delightful surprise, but no one believes he'll keep hitting like this all year long. 

Barger, Little, Rodríguez, Fisher, Clement, and Springer have proven to be significantly more valuable contributors than almost any of us thought they would be. They're all exceeding expectations, and if they continue to do so, the Blue Jays will too.

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