Daulton Varsho fits with Blue Jays

All it takes is 30 seconds in the Toronto clubhouse to see Daulton Varsho fit right in with the Blue Jays.

Sitting in front of his corner box at Rogers Center, he can be found chuckling quietly as fellow outfielders George Springer and Whit Merrifield gently give 26-year-old Varsho ribs.

“It’s been great here,” said Varsho before being cut.

“Liar!” Hopper said.

“Yes, be honest, Daulton,” Merrifield said.

“I’ll be honest,” Varsho laughed.

“You hate your teammates, you hate everyone,” said Merrifield, making Varsho laugh even more.

Varsho was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to Toronto in December for left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and catcher Gabriel Moreno. Varsho was drafted by the Diamondbacks as catcher, but last season he split between that position and center field. Since joining the Blue Jays, he has spent most of his time in left field.

Getting used to his new place in the outfield and a new city has been easy.

“Everyone has been great. I’ve learned a lot,” Varsho said, pushing through Merrifield and Springer’s interjections. “I’ve just been able to grow and get better every day.

“Understanding what I’m doing wrong, what I need to get better at, and it’s been a lot of fun.”

Varsho has certainly had ample opportunity to learn. He is one game behind Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette for most games played in Major League Baseball this year, appearing in 77 of Toronto’s 79 games.

“He brings so much every day,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “There’s always a chance for a home run, there’s a chance for stolen bases, there’s a chance for a great play.

“He takes real pride in his skills and helps you win every day.”

Arizona called up Varsho to the major leagues on July 30, 2020. He finished that season with a .188 batting average and three home runs, but has since grown offensively. He has a career average of .231, with 53 home runs and 35 stolen bases.

Much of those stats come from this season in Toronto, where he hits .222 with 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases.

“He has been up and down offensively, but we knew that about him,” said Schneider. “He understands how he gets thrown a little bit and he tries to get the ball a little bit more down in the zone instead of up.”

Varsho said his Toronto outfield partners have been very helpful in his progression, especially in learning to read the ball in left field. He credits both Springer and Platinum Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier for helping him out once he arrived at spring training with the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Florida.

“It was nice to be there all together and understand the balls we can get to and have the non-communicative things we can do,” said Varsho. “It’s nice to have guys who’ve been around for a while and be able to learn from them and wander together.”

Although Varsho spent the entire season in the Toronto outfield, he may be deployed as a catcher in the coming days. Catcher Alejandro Kirk is on the 10-day injured list with a torn hand, forcing the Blue Jays to call up his veteran Tyler Heineman to support Danny Jansen at the plate.

But Heineman left Sunday’s 12-1 victory over the Athletics early with discomfort on his left side. Schneider said Heineman will be re-evaluated for Toronto’s next game, but Varsho could fit into his plans.

“I think a lot will depend on how (Heineman) feels,” Schneider said after the game. “If it’s something that prevents him from playing, I think you look into other options, but I think it’s something that can be managed.

“But you know Varsho, he’s ready to go if needed.”

The Blue Jays continued their nine-game homestand on Tuesday when they host the San Francisco Giants in a three-game interleague series. The rival Boston Red Sox will visit Rogers Center starting Friday.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 26, 2023.