The Blue Jays’ lineup was in desperate need of a spark and, since being activated from the injury list in late April, Daulton Varsho has been there to provide it.
Varsho missed the first month of the season as he recovered from surgery on his right rotator cuff. His arm strength still isn’t back to being 100 per cent healthy, but his bat hasn’t missed a beat. In fact, it might be better than ever.
The mix of power and speed was on display Thursday afternoon as Varsho hit a game-tying triple in the bottom of the 11th inning before scoring the winning run in a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres. That gave the Jays a series sweep and allowed them to salvage their homestand with a 5-4 record.
“He’s been great, man,” Jays manager John Schneider said. “It’s a guy kind of figuring some things out and coming into his own a little bit. When Varsh steps onto the field, he’s going to affect the game in one way or another, positively, for your team. What he’s doing with the bat right now is really, really big for us.”
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Varsho has appeared in just 35 per cent of the Jays’ games this season and yet he leads the team with seven home runs, including an eighth-inning grand slam Wednesday. He is also third with 19 RBIs, three shy of $500-million man Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and there isn’t an everyday player who has a higher on-base-plus-slugging percentage than Varsho’s .854.
Those numbers are far better than anything Varsho has produced across a full season. The 28-year-old entered the season with a career .711 OPS and he has produced more than 20 homers just once. His sample size this season remains small, but if Varsho is able to maintain his current pace he’ll set career highs in just about every category.Â
Varsho has been among the game’s best defenders for the past several years. The only thing that was holding him back from taking another big step forward was his bat, and that might not be the case for much longer.
“It was obviously frustrating not to break (camp) with the team and start the year as a DH,” Varsho said. “But it gave me time to get myself back with the arm and it gave me more time to relax and get my mindset right for … trying to play every day.”
Varsho’s bat spared the Jays from what would have been a frustrating loss in the series finale. They carried a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning and were looking for the sweep when struggling closer Jeff Hoffman served up a two-run homer to Gavin Sheets. Hoffman has surrendered 13 runs on 11 hits and four walks over his last six innings while being charged with three blown saves.
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The two teams then exchanged runs in the 10th before the Padres took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 11th on an RBI single by Sheets. A few minutes later, Varsho stepped into the box and hit a game-tying triple off reliever Jeremiah Estrada. Soon after, he scored on a single by Nathan Lukes as the Jays secured their third walk-off victory of the season.
“Having good at-bats, that’s all we can really care about,” Varsho said when asked about the comeback. “Having quality at-bats and being able to move it on to the next guy. When you don’t get it done, it’s OK to pass the baton, and I think we have done a really good job as a lineup.”
The Jays will now head out on the road riding a little bit of momentum. They are above .500 for the first time since April 24 and the next two teams they face are currently below: the Tampa Bay Rays, who won a series at Rogers Centre last week, and the Texas Rangers.
Varsho figures to be at the centre of it all. Opposing teams used to only worry about his glove but, during this current hot streak, it’s the bat they should be taking note of the most.
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