The Toronto Blue Jays avoided being swept by the Chicago Cubs on August 13th, and Daulton Varsho was a strong contributor on offense. The Jays came out with a big win against the Cubs, beating them 11-4. This season Varsho’s offense has been criticized as it has been inconsistent and we all know that his asset is his defense. But as of recently, he has really proven that he is strong in both areas. Varsho came out big in the game on Sunday finishing off the day with two hits, two runs, five RBI, and a home run.
Daulton Varsho Continues to Spark the Offense
That Ball Is Out of Here!
Daulton Varsho moonshot alert. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/dyqfDr6t0d
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 13, 2023
While the Cubs struck early in the game with a 2-0 lead, the good thing about that was that the Jays had a great opportunity to punch back. In the bottom of the second inning two men on and none out, Varsho hit a banger into deep right field picking up his 14th home run of the season. Varsho has continued to come up with big hits for the Jays and it was much needed as the Jays offense has slowed down since sweeping the Boston Red Sox.
It is also always an added bonus when a player can capitalize with a homer with runners on base. Varsho’s three-run homer also brought the Jays the lead in the game with a score of 3-2. What also stood out about this home run was that Varsho hit it off of a high fastball, which is something he has struggled to accomplish this season. Varsho really silenced the haters in this game by coming out big offensively.
Capitalizing With Runners in Scoring Position (RISP)
Whit Merrifield 🤝 Daulton Varsho… We did it! #nextlevel #cubs #NextStartsHere #mlb #MLBTwitter pic.twitter.com/8yL15Oi9ya
— Fan First Network (@fanfirstnetwork) August 13, 2023
A frustrating and consistent problem that the Jays have faced this season is scoring with RISP. The Jays have never really had issues getting hits, it is evident how potent the Jays’ lineup is with many players having strong offensive seasons. But the number of times the Jays have left men on base this season has been appalling. Luckily, this was no issue against the Cubs on Sunday.
The Jays recorded 14 hits in the game and Varsho’s two big hits in the game accounted for a big celebration. His five RBI day was a career-high for him and in the bottom of the fourth inning, Varsho came up with a clutch hit that scored two runs for the Jays. Varsho cashed in both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Brandon Belt and the Jays were then leading with a score of 8-2.
That’s a Wrap!
There is something to be said about a player that can prove himself to the critics. Varsho illustrated that he is capable of a lot more than just being the Jays’ defensive ace. Varsho has clearly made some adjustments to his approach at the plate by being able to hit a high fastball. There is nothing more satisfying than coming out big offensively for your team and picking up a much-needed victory to remain in the playoff run. Hopefully, Varsho can continue to defeat the odds and showcase a strong skillset with his offense. The fact of the matter is that when a player can overcome a slump or drought, this showcases their capabilities to grow and prove themselves worthy by making the right changes.
Main photo credits:
Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
