Prospect of Interest: How does Ja’Kobe Walter fit with Raptors?
Ja’Kobe Walter is the sort of two-way guy the Raptors needed at this point in their re-tool. From a smooth shot and confident scoring prowess, to physical attributes perfect for modern NBA defences, Walter fits well with how Toronto is progressing to their next era.
TORONTO — Late into Thursday afternoon, Rogers Centre stayed unusually quiet. Having landed back in Toronto after midnight, the Blue Jays decided against taking batting practice on the field, preferring to ease into the day from the home clubhouse, where the fireplace channel played on TV.
Meanwhile, on the field, GM Ross Atkins acknowledged that his team was in need of a spark after a recent seven-game losing streak squandered any positive momentum they’d built earlier in June. “That has gone away,” Atkins conceded.
On the other side of the field, the Yankees were equally slow to get started. They’d landed later even later than the Blue Jays, so they took a similar approach. No on-field BP for the likes of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, just a few infielders taking ground balls near second base along with starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, agile as ever at 33.
Then, Carlos Rodon started pitching and the Blue Jays looked as alive as they have all year. The first five batters to face the Yankees left-hander scored, three of them on a George Springer home run to left field. And after the Blue Jays batted around in the first, Springer got Rodon for another three-run home run in the second, this time on a no-doubter to centre.
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With that, the Blue Jays were well on their way to the kind of win that’s been so hard to come by this year — that is to say, a convincing and one-sided win against a good team driven by a power outburst from a core player. The 9-2 win improves the Blue Jays’ record to 37-43, and while they’re still on the extreme outskirts of the American League playoff picture, it would have been hard to ask for a much better outcome Thursday.
Entering play Thursday, Springer had a .579 OPS, worst among all qualified American League hitters, and just two home runs against fastballs all season. But both the home runs he hit against Rodon came against fastballs clocked above 96 m.p.h. — a new high for Springer in 2024.
The right fielder would later single and reach base on catcher’s interference, driving the Blue Jays forward on a day Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also homered and Jose Berrios provided seven innings of two-run ball while lowering his season ERA to 3.38. All things considered, this was easily the best offensive performance of 2024 for Springer, whose second homer of the day was the 250th of his career.
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Whether Springer can consistently build on Thursday’s success is another question, but regardless of which direction the Blue Jays take from here, they’re much better off if he becomes an average or above-average hitter again with two and a half years remaining on his franchise record $150 million contract.
As for the question of what direction the Blue Jays take, it appears Atkins doesn’t want to sell until it’s absolutely necessary. And granted, there’s little downside to waiting a few more weeks, since buyers aren’t typically making strong offers in late June regardless. But even after winning Thursday, the Blue Jays look like a team that should sell, not buy.
“We really need to — one day at a time and one pitch at a time — get things turned around to be in a position to buy,” Atkins said. “We’re focused on winning. We’re focused on building the best possible team and supporting it in the best possible way we can. And if we get to a point where we need to adjust we’ll be prepared to do so.”
In theory, if the Blue Jays could go on a run like the Mets or Astros, they might not have to sell. Yet they’d need a significant streak, and it would have to start ASAP.
“We recognize that we don’t have much time left,” Atkins said.
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More likely, the Blue Jays end up positioned to sell ahead of the July 30 trade deadline and seriously consider deals for pending free agents including Yusei Kikuchi, Trevor Richards, Kevin Kiermaier, Justin Turner and, once healthy, Yimi Garcia. Parting with likes of Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette appears far, far less likely as the Blue Jays intend to win in 2025 regardless of how 2024 ends.
“We’re focused on, building around the team that is here,” Atkins said. “A lot of emphasis and focus falls on our offence at this point, but it’s really focusing on making the best possible team that we can, and continuing to extend that window as long as we can.”
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