The Toronto Blue Jays clinched a 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon.
The victory came one day after the Orioles dominated with a 13-3 victory against the Blue Jays on Friday.
Toronto sought redemption, and now they’re looking to win the series on Sunday.
Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement on Brandon Valenzuela
GettyToronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement made a statement regarding Brandon Valenzuela
After making his MLB debut on April 5 of this year, it became clear that 25-year-old Brandon Valenzuela was entering the Major Leagues with confidence.
Following Toronto’s latest clash, utility man Ernie Clement shared his thoughts on the rookie’s performance thus far.
“He’s being aggressive. When he swings and misses, you hear it in the dugout,” he stated, per Blue Jays beat writer Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. “Everybody’s like, ‘Ooooo.’ That’s what you want to hear. Nobody does that when I swing.”
Bannon further reports that Clement tabbed Valenzuela as the “most improved player” in the Major Leagues at this time.
During Saturday’s matchup between Toronto and Baltimore, the young rookie was batting .254 and recorded one RBI. He went 3-for-3 at the plate.
Valenzuela Experiencing Successful Rookie Year
GettyToronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement is taking notice of Brandon Valenzuela’s performance
Valenzuela’s first game in the big leagues took place on April 5 against the Chicago White Sox.
During his debut appearance, he batted .333. By the end of his first month, he was batting .200 overall and had logged three RBIs and two home runs.
The following month, in May, he batted .258 with seven RBIs and another two homers.
His improvements have been consistent right off the bat, which is an incredibly promising sign for the franchise.
Overall, so far this season, he is slashing .254/.338/.456 with a rising .794 OPS and six home runs through his 42 games to date.
At this rate, fans should expect him to continue building momentum as he gains more confidence and experience in the big leagues.
The bar is already set quite high for the young gun. It is up to him whether he meets expectations or falls short due to increasing pressure.
Rookie years aren’t often stunning to watch, so expect a few setbacks along the way.
Having said that, Valenzuela appears to be in a good position so far.
Blue Jays Must Pick Up the Pace
GettyToronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement commented on Brandon Valenzuela’s performance
The American League East has largely been dominated by the Tampa Bay Rays (37-23) this season.
Trailing the Rays are the New York Yankees (37-26), followed by the Orioles (31-34), Toronto (31-34) and the Boston Red Sox (27-35).
With the Blue Jays tied with Baltimore, this series is all the more important.
Considering how imposing Toronto was last season, ultimately finding their way to the highly touted World Series, watching the ballclub slowly fade away in their division standings is rather concerning.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of time and ample opportunity for the franchise to pull things together.
With Valenzuela continuing to improve, the future could be bright for the Blue Jays once again.
After all, in Clement’s own words, the rookie is the “most improved player” in the Major Leagues. If he remains on this trajectory, the ballclub will be in good hands this season.
Until then, Toronto needs to heat their bats if they want a serious shot at reaching World Series contention for a second consecutive year.
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