Toronto Blue Jays Hitters of the Month - July 2026

This season's trade deadline felt a little bit different from last year's. The Toronto Blue Jays are in dead last in the AL East, but are only four games back of the third Wild Card spot. However, there are five teams between them and the Cleveland Guardians, who hold the final postseason berth. There was uncertainty about what route Toronto would take: Would they be buyers, sellers, or both?

Although it wasn't too busy a deadline day for the Blue Jays, they went the latter route. They traded for José Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels, who has team control through the 2028 season, and dealt Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs, Daulton Varsho to the Houston Astros, and Jeff Hoffman to the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays' front office was still able to keep a competitive roster despite the moves they made.

With the trade deadline behind us, let's take a look at who the top Blue Jays hitters were in July.

Top Blue Jays Hitters In July

Honorable Mention: Alejandro Kirk

July Stats: 67 PA, .281/.388/.368, 4 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .756 OPS, 115 wRC+

Alejandro Kirk has flipped a switch in the second half of the season. He was slashing .202/.273/.315 in the first half, and his numbers are even better to start August (.310/.408/.452 through games on Aug. 3). Some of his turnaround is due to him being more selective at the plate, which is leading to more walks. In June, Kirk had a 4.3 percent walk rate, which rose to 14.9 percent in July and is 16.7 percent through three games in August. 

Not chasing pitches out of the zone has helped the Blue Jays catcher make better contact and get on base. He had a .587 OPS in the first half of the season, but has increased that to .861 in the second half. Kirk has been a rather consistent contact hitter throughout his career, so the low first-half statistics were alarming. However, getting patient at the plate has shown a massive difference in the catcher's results.

Honorable Mention: Ernie Clement

July Stats: 103 PA, .278/.311/.371, 9 R, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .682 OPS, 91 wRC+

Ernie Clement's niche throughout his six-year career has been a strong defender who can make contact and put the ball in play, but he was a bottom-of-the-order hitter who wasn't very productive. However, he wasn't a full-time starter until 2024. 

Since becoming a near-everyday starter, Clement has provided a steady bat all over the lineup. He has 60 at-bats or more at five different spots in the batting order this season. He doesn't provide power, as he hasn't homered in the second half of the season, but he makes up for it with his on-base skill set. Though, he is 1-for-10 to begin August.

No. 3: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

July Stats: 96 PA, .256/.333/.395, 10 R, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .729 OPS, 108 wRC+

It's no secret at this point of the season that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a power issue. He ranks in the 36th percentile in barrel percentage (6.7 percent), 53rd percentile in squared-up percentage (25.5 percent), and 41st percentile in chase rate (51.3 percent). These are glaring issues if you are considered a power bat.

He may not even reach double-digit home runs, and he's already played in 107 games. Even though the power is down, Vladdy has still found ways to be productive offensively. However, his .293 batting average on balls in play marks the first time this stat has been below .300 since 2023. This offseason can't get here fast enough for Guerrero to get to work figuring out why he's had this drastic power drought.

No. 2: Kazuma Okamoto

July Stats: 96 PA, .213/.271/.427, 14 R, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .698 OPS, 93 wRC+

Another month and another power display for Kazuma Okamoto. So far, he has hit five or seven home runs in each month this season. The Blue Jays will gladly take the power despite weak contact skills. Especially since only one other Blue Jay has double-digit home runs: George Springer, with 12, thanks to a big July output. 

Okamoto is starting to slow down in the second half of the season, with only two home runs in 66 plate appearances. Another issue the Japanese slugger faces is a high strikeout rate. He is currently striking out at a massive 30.6 percent rate. This is nine percent higher than his next-closest total from NPB, which was in 2019. 

The higher total can likely be chalked up to a new league and new pitchers, so it will be interesting to see if there's improvement in his second MLB season. He could also be feeling the pressure of being the only power source, so he's pressing to produce, resulting in him swinging at bad pitches.

No. 1: George Springer

July Stats: 69 PA, .290/.362/.516, 9 R, 4 HR, 13 RBI, .878 OPS, 147 wRC+

George Springer's resurgent season last year, in which he hit .309 and had 32 home runs, is a distant memory. However, like Kirk, Springer has flipped a switch in the second half of the season. He was slashing .218/.303/.374 in the first half and has improved to .328/.388/.557 since. 

The Blue Jays could have used the sudden surge to entice teams at the trade deadline, but the team elected to hold on to him. Springer has 10-and-5 rights, meaning he had full no-trade rights, so a deal may never have been discussed. Hopefully, he can keep the hot streak going down the final stretch of the season, as Okamoto needs some help in the power department.