GDB 147.0: Can someone please check on the Toronto Blue Jays?

The Toronto Blue Jays, believe it or not, have been one of the better teams in all of baseball this season.

Call me all the names you want, but there are numbers that support it. Here are a few key stats areas the Jays have succeeded in this year.

Hitting for average and getting on base. The Blue Jays are hitting .259 at the plate this year and getting on base at a .331 clip this year. Both are fifth-best in the bigs.

Hitting doubles. Toronto’s 265 doubles rank seventh.

Avoiding strikeouts and taking walks. Their 20.7 K% ranks sixth best in the league, while their BB% ranks 11th.

Making the most of external factors such as ballparks. Toronto’s 108 wRC+ is sixth best in the big leagues.

Hitting to opposite field. 26.3 per cent of the Jays’ hits head into opposite field, the second-best rate in MLB.

Carving up opposing batters. The pitching staff has been a huge boon this season for the Jays, and their 3.78 team ERA is tied for second in all of baseball.

Striking them out is a big part of it. Toronto’s 9.4 K/9 ranks third.

As is limiting baserunners. A 1.24 WHIP — seventh-best in baseball — plays a key role there.

Well, that’s what we’re all trying to figure out these days. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is often looking discombobulated at the plate, Bo Bichette has been ice cold against Texas since returning from injury, and instead, the Jays’ best players right now have been Triple-A callups.

Now credit where it’s due as Davis Schneider, who could very well be having the best start to a major league career, Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz, and even utility man Cavan Biggio have stepped up in significant ways for the Jays.

Here are the Jays’ top five batters in terms of wRC+: Schneider (237), Clement (148), Horwitz (138), Brandon Belt (133) and Bichette (123). Matt Chapman is seventh (113), Vladdy is eighth (112), George Springer is 11th (107) and Alejandro Kirk is 14th (95).

The young guns have more than helped in terms of not only their work at the plate but in the field too as Schneider and Celement have found themselves at the hot corner at third and short-filling in well.

One area that has continued to plague the team, however, is their inability to drive in runs this season. With runners in scoring position, their offence becomes completely inept with a 100 wRC+, just below league average coupled with the fact they’ve left 1054 runners on base, and you’ve got some serious issues.

A series like the one the Jays are going through right now against the Texas Rangers doesn’t help at all, either. Toronto’s been outscored a staggering 26-7 through three games as their run differential has plummeted.

Their work will be cut out for them with Nathan Eovaldi taking the mound for Texas opposite of Kevin Gausman.

First pitch: 7:07 p.m EST — Sportsnet, Sportsnet 650.

Toronto Blue Jays: 80-66, 11.5 GB, 6 E#, 1.0 WCGB, +62 DIFF.

Texas Rangers: 81-64, 1.0 GB, 16 E#, +0.5 WCGB, +161 DIFF.

Moneyline: TOR -154; TEX +130.

*Odds at the time of publishing. Odds subject to change.

Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays’ latest series against the Kansas City Royals.