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Toronto Blue Jays: Can Jose Bautista thrive in the leadoff spot?

By Tim Haberin |
May 19, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista (19) in the on deck circle in the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
May 19, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista (19) in the on deck circle in the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

In an attempt to spark their offense, the Toronto Blue Jays tried something new and unexpected last night: they put Jose Bautista in the leadoff spot.

A juggernaut a season ago, the Toronto Blue Jays offense has been far more tepid nearly two months into the 2016 campaign. After leading MLB in both categories last year, the Jays currently rank 18th in the league with 171 runs scored and 20th with a .708 OPS.

The offensive slowdown has resulted in a 20-23 record, currently six games off the pace in the AL East. It’s quite a surprising position for a club many predicted would once again mash its way to the division crown.

Compelled to shake up the status quo, manager John Gibbons unveiled a new strategy before last night’s game against the Minnesota Twins. In an effort to jump-start the bats in his lineup, he placed Jose Bautista in the leadoff spot. The idea reportedly came from the players themselves.

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As a heart-of-the-order slugger, Bautista certainly isn’t your prototypical leadoff man. Yesterday marked the first time the 35-year-old hit out of the number-one slot since 2010 (and yet it still probably wasn’t the craziest thing to happen to him this week).

Though the Jays did snap a five-game losing streak, the lineup shuffle didn’t exactly spark the offense. The team pushed across a modest three runs in the 11-inning victory. Bautista went 1-for-4 with a single and a walk. Gibbons will hope the new configuration pays more dividends down the road.

But is batting Baustista leadoff really a good idea for the struggling squad? The short answer: it’s definitely worth a shot.

Center fielder Kevin Pillar has primarily occupied the leadoff spot for the Blue Jays this season, although left fielder Michael Saunders has also received some looks in the role. Unfortunately, neither player has been particularly inspiring at the top of the batting order.

Pillar is slashing .250/.283/.372 with two home runs and 15 RBIs, significantly below his pace from a season ago (.278/.314/.399, 12 HR, 56 RBIs). And his performance has been weaker in the leadoff spot: .198/.231/.291 with eight RBIs in 20 games there.

Saunders is actually enjoying a great year at the plate overall, sporting a .307/.375/.526 slash line with six homers and 13 RBIs. However, that success hasn’t completely translated into the number-one slot, where he owns a .265/.367/.471 line. That’s not poor production by any means, but other places in the lineup have been kinder to him.

Is Bautista truly an upgrade over what the Jays have already been getting out of their leadoff men? After all, the right fielder and six-time All-Star hasn’t exactly caught fire with the bat this year himself. Nevertheless, in spite of his lackluster .223 batting average, he boasts one of the best OBPs on the team with a mark of .374. The guy still knows how to draw a walk, currently leading the American League with 36 bases on balls. That’s well ahead of last season’s pace, when he finished with an AL-most 110 walks.

So while he may not look like your run-of-the-mill leadoff man, Bautista’s plate discipline could make him a surprisingly viable fit there. The Jays also don’t really need him to be the textbook definition of a leadoff hitter either. Despite their struggles, this is still not a lineup that is going to be playing a lot of small ball or stealing many bases. The best thing Bautista can do is get his own bat going while putting Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion in positions to succeed hitting behind him.

This arrangement may not last very long anyway. Second baseman Devon Travis is currently rehabbing with Triple-A Buffalo and could be activated sometime in the next couple weeks. Travis slashed .304/.361/.498 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in only 65 games last year before a shoulder injury sidelined him. He primarily hit out of the number-one or nine spots. If he swings the bat well upon his return, the Blue Jays will likely view him as a leadoff option moving forward.

Next: M's Pitching Staff Making a Difference in 2016

What do you think? Is batting Bautista as the leadoff man a good idea for now? Tell us why or why not in the comment section below.

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