It’s too early to worry about Bichette

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It’s good news that the Toronto Blue Jays haven’t really hit yet. Let that sink in a bit. It’s a positive that they haven’t been explosive on offence.

Why? Because the Blue Jays are 8-5 despite underperforming with the bats. They will get hot, and it will happen soon. Expect the team to go on a winning streak when that happens.

The shortened spring training doesn’t just affect the pitchers, even though all we talk about is pitchers not being stretched out. The reality is that pitchers are often ahead of hitters in spring training and early in the season. The pitchers are all fresh because of the expanded rosters, so even though the starters are limited to a certain number of pitches, they are relieved by a steady supply of flamethrowers. The cold weather also more negatively impacts hitters. The offence will be here soon enough. 

The Blue Jays hitter who has most noticeably struggled early is Bo Bichette, who is hitting just .224/.224/.310. He has scored five runs and driven in four so far, with two doubles and one homer. Bichette has not delivered the type of production that he or the club expected.

But it’s early, so there is no need to panic. There is nothing wrong with Bichette’s swing, but there is with his timing and decision making. It looks like he is getting caught between pitches –he’s behind the fastball and out in front of the breaking pitches and changeups.

The statistic that leaps off the page at me is that Bichette has zero walks and fourteen strikeouts so far. The young Jays’ shortstop doesn’t normally walk much, but this is extreme. Bichette would rather get a hit than take a walk, but he is at the point that he needs to walk to start hitting.

Bichette has yet to have a 3-0