The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut over the first two months of the 2025 season, but some encouraging trends (and some troubling stats) have emerged since the calendar turned to May.
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The Jays&#8217; lack of home runs has been a theme throughout the season, and with 45 dingers, they have the fifth-lowest total in the majors. This issue was supposed to be addressed with the signing of <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-anthony-santander-struggles-become-impossible-ignore">Anthony Santander</a>, but he’s struggled mightily out of the gate.
<h2>The Big Bats</h2>
Pragmatic fans were quick to point out the fact that the 30-year-old has traditionally been a slow starter and that he’d surely come around, especially when the weather warms up. That has not been the case this season, as Santander’s numbers have improved slightly this month, but not enough to have a significant impact. The Venezuela native is slashing .191/.286/.294 with two home runs, six RBIs, and a .580 OPS over 20 games in May while struggling with some minor ailments. The pressure is on for the slugger to start producing and living up to the five-year, $92.5 million contract he signed this winter. 
Although Santander has faced the most scrutiny over his performance (or lack thereof) this season, no player affects winning and losing more than <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-takeaways-from-the-blue-jays-14-year-500-million-extension-of-vladimir-guerrero-jr">Vladimir Guerrero Jr. </a>
He’s also experienced an uptick in his statistics and has hit .293 with four homers, nine RBIs, and an .856 OPS in 25 May games. He has more walks (18) than strikeouts (15) this month, and his chase percentage (22%) is a career low. If he can continue avoiding swinging at bad pitches and barrelling ones in the zone, it could have a domino effect on the rest of the offense. 
Both Guerrero and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/bo-bichettes-late-home-run-gives-toronto-blue-jays-2-0-win">Bo Bichette</a> had extended homerless stretches to start the season. Vladdy went deep for the first time on April 16th, the 19th game of the season, and shortly after he signed his 14-year, $500 million extension. Bichette hit his first home run on May 3rd, and has done so four more times since then and has seen his batting average decrease from .295 to .273 (.245 so far in May), but his OPS increase from .693 to .728, with a .773 mark this month thanks to the increased home run total. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Bo Bichette comes up CLUTCH 😮‍💨
He delivers a 9th inning go-ahead blast!
(MLB x <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenWatchUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CitizenWatchUS</a>) <a href="https://t.co/gLbHBc7FrM">pic.twitter.com/gLbHBc7FrM</a>
&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1927917118911041811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<h2>The Everyday Players</h2>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/trickle-down-effect-barger-breakout-toronto-blue-jays">Addison Barger</a> has been the Blue Jays&#8217; breakout player this season, and he’s done most of his damage in May (while experiencing the uptick in playing time since his mid-April callup). He’s hit .275, with two homers, eight doubles, nine RBIs, and a .798 OPS in 24 games, taking advantage of the everyday playing time at third base since Andrés Giménez was placed on the IL with a quad strain on May 8th. 
Ernie Clement has done an admirable job of taking over at second base and went on a tear during the first two weeks of May, hitting .341 with four doubles, one home run, three RBIs, and a .861 OPS over 12 games. He’s cooled off considerably since then, with a .163 average, .428 OPS, and zero extra-base hits over the last 13 games.
Alejandro Kirk has been the Blue Jays&#8217; most consistent hitter this month. The 26-year-old is batting .343 with a homer, nine RBIs, and a .803 OPS across 21 May contests. He’s walked seven times, only struck out four times, and shown little wear despite playing behind the plate ~70% of the time.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Six home runs in 12 games for Daulton Varsho. 
This time to the opposite field, which we don&#39;t often see from him. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> <a href="https://t.co/ygyAVUhi4b">pic.twitter.com/ygyAVUhi4b</a>
&mdash; Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeeganMatheson/status/1923543504598274179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/daulton-varsho-looks-different-again-and-its-working-for-the-blue-jays">Daulton Varsho</a> returned to the lineup on April 29th following offseason rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder. Since returning, the former 2nd-round pick has injected some life into the offense. Since May 1st, Varsho is hitting .190 with seven home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .734 OPS. 12 of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one triple, and the home runs), and he’s been making his usual highlight-reel catches in centerfield.
For the first month of the season, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-detailing-recent-struggles-george-springer">George Springer</a> was the most productive hitter on the team. He’s scuffled over the past few weeks but has continued to hit for power. He’s hit .176 with five doubles, three homers, six RBIs, three stolen bases, and a .687 OPS this month.
Infielder Andres Gimenez saw limited action in May before landing on the IL with his quad injury, and he was turning a corner after an up-and-down start to the year. Through 19 at-bats in May, he collected seven hits, including one double, and had added two RBIs and one stolen base without a walk or a strikeout.
<h2>Best of the Rest</h2>
Nathan Lukes has done all he can to be part of the outfield rotation and has played the best baseball of his career in recent weeks. The 30-year-old has hit .293 with three homers, 11 RBIs, and a .863 OPS through 58 at-bats this month. He’s played well at all three outfield spots and seems to have finally earned regular playing time, given the off-days for Varsho while Santander and Springer split time in the outfield and in the DH spot.
Myles Straw has continued to show his value as a utility outfielder despite not hitting for much power. He’s amassed a .256 average (and OBP) with a double, five RBIs, and a .538 OPS in 21 games in May. The OPS is on the lower side because of the power dip and lack of walks (zero in May), but he’s shown solid contact skills and remains valuable with his exceptional defensive efforts.
Outfielder Jonatan Clase was promoted to the majors in late April and has gotten the occasional start in a crowded outfield mix. In May, the former Mariners prospect is hitting .276 (8-29) with three doubles, two steals, and five RBIs, with a .743 OPS to show for his efforts.
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The Blue Jays placed Tyler Heineman on the 7-day concussion IL 
He took a couple shots off the mask over the weekend against the Padres but stayed in the game
&mdash; Brandon Wile (@Brandon_N_Wile) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brandon_N_Wile/status/1926667803316162975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The most surprising thing about Tyler Heineman hitting .396 (19-for-48) this season (total) is that his average has dropped to that lofty mark despite a .316 average in May. He’s only been asked to play a couple of times per week, but the veteran journeyman has done everything asked of him and performed above reasonable expectations all season. Unfortunately, Heineman suffered a concussion and was placed on the seven-day injured list on Sunday.
<h2>The New Guys</h2>
Ali Sanchez was activated and made his Jays’ debut in the 13-0 abomination against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, going 1-for-3 before a 0-for-3 showing against Texas on Wednesday night. Michael Stefanic made his team debut on May 11th and went 2-for-4 in his first start, a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on May 16th. Since then, he has just one hit in 13 ABs.
Both players will likely see limited time on the field before Heineman and Andres Gimenez return from the IL in short order. 
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The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut over the first two months of the 2025 season, but some encouraging trends (and some troubling stats) have emerged since the calendar turned to May.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
The Jays' lack of home runs has been a theme throughout the season, and with 45 dingers, they have the fifth-lowest total in the majors. This issue was supposed to be addressed with the signing of <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-anthony-santander-struggles-become-impossible-ignore">Anthony Santander</a>, but he’s struggled mightily out of the gate.
<h2>The Big Bats</h2>
Pragmatic fans were quick to point out the fact that the 30-year-old has traditionally been a slow starter and that he’d surely come around, especially when the weather warms up. That has not been the case this season, as Santander’s numbers have improved slightly this month, but not enough to have a significant impact. The Venezuela native is slashing .191/.286/.294 with two home runs, six RBIs, and a .580 OPS over 20 games in May while struggling with some minor ailments. The pressure is on for the slugger to start producing and living up to the five-year, $92.5 million contract he signed this winter. 

Although Santander has faced the most scrutiny over his performance (or lack thereof) this season, no player affects winning and losing more than <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/three-takeaways-from-the-blue-jays-14-year-500-million-extension-of-vladimir-guerrero-jr">Vladimir Guerrero Jr. </a>

He’s also experienced an uptick in his statistics and has hit .293 with four homers, nine RBIs, and an .856 OPS in 25 May games. He has more walks (18) than strikeouts (15) this month, and his chase percentage (22%) is a career low. If he can continue avoiding swinging at bad pitches and barrelling ones in the zone, it could have a domino effect on the rest of the offense. 

Both Guerrero and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/bo-bichettes-late-home-run-gives-toronto-blue-jays-2-0-win">Bo Bichette</a> had extended homerless stretches to start the season. Vladdy went deep for the first time on April 16th, the 19th game of the season, and shortly after he signed his 14-year, $500 million extension. Bichette hit his first home run on May 3rd, and has done so four more times since then and has seen his batting average decrease from .295 to .273 (.245 so far in May), but his OPS increase from .693 to .728, with a .773 mark this month thanks to the increased home run total. 

[embed]https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1927917118911041811[/embed]
<h2>The Everyday Players</h2>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/trickle-down-effect-barger-breakout-toronto-blue-jays">Addison Barger</a> has been the Blue Jays' breakout player this season, and he’s done most of his damage in May (while experiencing the uptick in playing time since his mid-April callup). He’s hit .275, with two homers, eight doubles, nine RBIs, and a .798 OPS in 24 games, taking advantage of the everyday playing time at third base since Andrés Giménez was placed on the IL with a quad strain on May 8th. 

Ernie Clement has done an admirable job of taking over at second base and went on a tear during the first two weeks of May, hitting .341 with four doubles, one home run, three RBIs, and a .861 OPS over 12 games. He’s cooled off considerably since then, with a .163 average, .428 OPS, and zero extra-base hits over the last 13 games.

Alejandro Kirk has been the Blue Jays' most consistent hitter this month. The 26-year-old is batting .343 with a homer, nine RBIs, and a .803 OPS across 21 May contests. He’s walked seven times, only struck out four times, and shown little wear despite playing behind the plate ~70% of the time.

https://twitter.com/KeeganMatheson/status/1923543504598274179

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/daulton-varsho-looks-different-again-and-its-working-for-the-blue-jays">Daulton Varsho</a> returned to the lineup on April 29th following offseason rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder. Since returning, the former 2nd-round pick has injected some life into the offense. Since May 1st, Varsho is hitting .190 with seven home runs, 18 RBIs, and a .734 OPS. 12 of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one triple, and the home runs), and he’s been making his usual highlight-reel catches in centerfield.

For the first month of the season, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-detailing-recent-struggles-george-springer">George Springer</a> was the most productive hitter on the team. He’s scuffled over the past few weeks but has continued to hit for power. He’s hit .176 with five doubles, three homers, six RBIs, three stolen bases, and a .687 OPS this month.

Infielder Andres Gimenez saw limited action in May before landing on the IL with his quad injury, and he was turning a corner after an up-and-down start to the year. Through 19 at-bats in May, he collected seven hits, including one double, and had added two RBIs and one stolen base without a walk or a strikeout.
<h2>Best of the Rest</h2>
Nathan Lukes has done all he can to be part of the outfield rotation and has played the best baseball of his career in recent weeks. The 30-year-old has hit .293 with three homers, 11 RBIs, and a .863 OPS through 58 at-bats this month. He’s played well at all three outfield spots and seems to have finally earned regular playing time, given the off-days for Varsho while Santander and Springer split time in the outfield and in the DH spot.

Myles Straw has continued to show his value as a utility outfielder despite not hitting for much power. He’s amassed a .256 average (and OBP) with a double, five RBIs, and a .538 OPS in 21 games in May. The OPS is on the lower side because of the power dip and lack of walks (zero in May), but he’s shown solid contact skills and remains valuable with his exceptional defensive efforts.

Outfielder Jonatan Clase was promoted to the majors in late April and has gotten the occasional start in a crowded outfield mix. In May, the former Mariners prospect is hitting .276 (8-29) with three doubles, two steals, and five RBIs, with a .743 OPS to show for his efforts.

https://twitter.com/Brandon_N_Wile/status/1926667803316162975

The most surprising thing about Tyler Heineman hitting .396 (19-for-48) this season (total) is that his average has dropped to that lofty mark despite a .316 average in May. He’s only been asked to play a couple of times per week, but the veteran journeyman has done everything asked of him and performed above reasonable expectations all season. Unfortunately, Heineman suffered a concussion and was placed on the seven-day injured list on Sunday.
<h2>The New Guys</h2>
Ali Sanchez was activated and made his Jays’ debut in the 13-0 abomination against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, going 1-for-3 before a 0-for-3 showing against Texas on Wednesday night. Michael Stefanic made his team debut on May 11th and went 2-for-4 in his first start, a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on May 16th. Since then, he has just one hit in 13 ABs.

Both players will likely see limited time on the field before Heineman and Andres Gimenez return from the IL in short order. 

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