Three Bold Predictions for the 2017 Blue Jays Season
I’m confident we will see a lot of the Blue Jays come October.
It’s mid-March, and the 2017 MLB season is almost upon us. After being eliminated in the ALCS for the second consecutive season, the Jays will again look to fight for the AL East title and make a deep run in October. That is a task that may seem much more challenging with the exit of All-Star slugger Edwin Encarnacion, the loss of key relievers and the strength of the Boston Red Sox. However, I’m confident we will see a lot of the Blue Jays come October.
These are three bold predictions I believe will play a role in getting them there.
Prediction 1: Kendrys Morales will have a better statistical season than Edwin.
Edwin Encarnacion had a standout season in 2016, with a .263 batting average, 42 HR, 127 RBI and 99 runs in 601 plate appearances. With that said, Kendrys Morales had a strong 2016 campaign himself, also posting a .263 average with 30 HR, 90 RBI and 65 runs in 558 AB.
There are several factors that may inflate Morales’ stats on his new team. Firstly, Kendrys will be batting on an offensively stronger team than the Royals proved to be last season. In fact, the Jays had better season totals in HR’s, RBI’s and OBP than Kansas City, despite having a lower team batting average. Toronto would have still had a higher HR total without Encarnacion in the lineup.
Morales will be batting higher in lineup with strong batters behind him, a factor that will likely increase his total runs. Morales also brings a strong switch hitting bat to the Blue Jays lineup. He has a higher BA vs RHP, but he is stronger at batting for power vs LHP. Lastly, he will be batting in the HR friendly Rogers Centre for half the season, something that will surely help Morales improve upon his 2016 totals. He certainly won’t be feeling the same pressure as Edwin based on their contracts.
Prediction 2: The Jays will have the best starting rotation in the American league, again.
Coming into the 2017 MLB season, the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox will both feel confident that they possess stronger starting rotations than a year ago. They are both absolutely right. Boston has added one of the most dominant aces in baseball in Chris Sale, and the relatively young Indians staff have gained crucial experience in a World Series run. However, even with those factors, the Blue Jays will field the best starting rotation in the American League.
The key for all three teams will be to stay healthy, and I believe the Jays staff has shown an advantage in terms of durability. There is no reason to believe Aaron Sanchez will not improve upon a tremendous 2016 season, and Marcus Stroman is poised to replicate his 2015 numbers after a strong, but underwhelming 2016 campaign for a player with his talent.
J.A Happ and Marco Estrada have exemplified consistency over the past two seasons, and Francisco Liriano will be an improvement in the five-spot. Don’t be surprised to see the Blue Jays starters atop the American League pitching rankings for consecutive seasons come October.
Prediction 3: Joey Bats turns back the clock for a renaissance season.
After an injury plagued 2016 campaign where he received criticism for overestimating his market value and underperforming on the scorecard, Jose Bautista seems poised to bounce back. His season totals were not terrible, but a stat line of .234 BA, 22 HR, 69 RBI and 68 runs is underwhelming for his standards, especially in a contract year.
Staying all-but injury free will be key for Bautista this season. He is having a strong spring, both with Toronto and at the WBC, and with the competitive edge most Toronto fans have come to know, I believe he will turn back the clock to again prove the doubters wrong this season.
Matthias is a multi-sport contributor with theocho.ca, providing MLB, NBA and MMA coverage. Follow Matthias on Twitter @_MRoss00
