How Blue Jays’ Biggest Bats Have Fared Vs. Blake Snell, Dodgers Ahead Of Game 1

The Blue Jays big nan Dodgers successful Game 1 of nan World Series connected Friday night, pinch a changeable astatine taking down nan reigning champions and winning their first title since 1993.

While this year’s Blue Jays person had their adjacent stock of “team of destiny” moments already successful nan postseason, nan situation of nan Dodgers is simply connected a different level. Los Angeles sports a lineup that tin spell bat-for-bat pinch Toronto, and a pitching unit nan likes of which nan Jays person not yet faced successful nan postseason.

Taking nan mound for nan Dodgers successful Game 1 is two-time Cy Young victor Blake Snell, who truthful acold this postseason has sounded 21 innings and fixed up conscionable six hits and 2 runs while striking retired 28. Will nan Blue Jays beryllium capable to break done against Snell? Or will nan lefty proceed his ascendant tally pinch different awesome commencement connected nan road?

Below we return a look astatine really immoderate of Toronto’s champion bats lucifer up against Snell.

All stats travel pinch nan thief of StatHead.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in nan midst of 1 of nan top postseason runs we person ever seen from a hitter, and looking worthy each dollar of the $500 cardinal statement hold he signed backmost successful April. Vladdy is slashing an perfectly absurd .442/.510/.930 truthful acold this postseason, pinch six location runs, 11 runs scored and 12 RBIs. He has struck retired conscionable 3 times.

The Blue Jays will request Guerrero to support up his basking streak if they are going to return nan title, but nan slugger will person his activity trim retired for him against Snell connected Friday night. Guerrero is conscionable 2-for-9 successful his profession against Snell, pinch 3 walks and nary strikeouts. He has not produced a deed against Snell since nan 2020 season.

Obviously we are moving pinch mini sample sizes here, and it’s imaginable that Guerrero’s existent basking streak is much suggestive than immoderate stats connected erstwhile sheet appearances vs. Snell could be, but it’s worthy noting that Toronto’s champion hitter will beryllium facing his toughest title yet connected nan mound.

George Springer

George Springer celebrates aft hitting a 3 tally location tally against nan Seattle Mariners. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Heading into nan World Series, nary subordinate connected nan Blue Jays has had much looks against Snell than George Springer, and he’s surely held his ain against nan two-time Cy Young winner, slashing .267/.353/.467 successful 17 sheet appearances. But akin to Guerrero, Springer’s occurrence against Snell came rather immoderate clip ago—his past deed against Snell was a location tally successful 2019, and he’s 0-for-6 against him since.

That said, Springer should fare beautiful good successful nan bid overall—when we look astatine his grounds astatine nan sheet against nan entirety of nan Dodgers’ existent unit alternatively than conscionable Snell, his slash statement jumps to .358/.415/.506. Notably, Springer is batting .467 and has 2 location runs successful his profession against Shohei Ohtani, which could travel up immense later successful nan series.

Daulton Varsho has been different cardinal contributor astatine nan sheet for nan Blue Jays this postseason, particularly successful nan ALDS against nan Yankees wherever he was 7-for-12 pinch 7 runs scored.

Against Snell, Varsho is 2-for-8 pinch a locomotion and 2 strikeouts successful his career. Against nan Dodgers this past season, Varsho was a coagulated .375/.583.375 crossed 12 sheet appearances arsenic Los Angeles took 2 of 3 games against Toronto.

Alejandro Kirk

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk singles successful nan sixth inning against nan Seattle Mariners. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

While it’s a comically mini sample size, nan numbers show that nary Blue Jays hitter has had much occurrence connected a per at-bat ground against Snell than catcher Alejandro Kirk.

In 4 trips to nan plate, Kirk has 2 singles, a locomotion and a strikeout against Snell. The bad news? Kirk has struggled successful his profession against nan remainder of nan Dodgers’ existent staff, batting conscionable .148 against nan remainder of nan pitchers Los Angels mightiness bring to nan mound.

Given Kirk’s spot successful nan lineup, he could beryllium seeing immoderate highly cardinal at-bats some coming and this bid arsenic a whole. If nan Dodgers determine to locomotion Guerrero successful a cardinal spot, it will apt beryllium Kirk charged pinch making nan astir of nan free man connected base.

As nan No. 2 batter successful nan Blue Jays’ lineup, Lukes has been stone coagulated this postseason, batting .333 while handing nan inning complete to Vladdy successful nan No. 3 spot.

Notably, Friday nighttime will beryllium Lukes’s first clip facing disconnected against Snell. While this apt gives nan separator to nan pitcher, Lukes could beryllium a chaotic paper for Toronto successful nan correct spot.

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