The Toronto Blue Jays are a little over a quarter into a season that's been far more frustrating than anyone expected. To get a handle on what's going wrong—and what might go right—we've broken down each key hitter's performance using one defining stat. Here's the story so far.

Tyler Heineman: 44.9% chase rate
Heineman has always been an aggressive swinger, taking cuts at about 52% of pitches over his career. That works when you're a contact-first hitter. But this season, he's chasing pitches outside the zone at an alarming rate without boosting his swings on strikes. That imbalance has tanked his production.

Brandon Valenzuela: 3 Framing Runs Above Average
The Jays brought Valenzuela in as a long-term backup catcher because they believed in his glove. He's also impressed at the plate so far, but that offense may regress. The defense, though, is living up to the hype: elite framing, a plus arm, and solid blocking make him a real asset behind the dish.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 9.0% barrel rate
After the pitching staff, Vlad might be the biggest disappointment of the season. The culprit? He's simply not squaring the ball up. His barrel rate is the worst since 2020, thanks to a lower launch angle and fewer hard-hit balls. His bat speed and max exit velocity look normal, so he appears healthy. But if the Jays want to climb out of their hole, Guerrero needs to make an adjustment—and fast.

Ernie Clement: -3 Outs Above Average at second base
Clement is normally a defensive ace, with elite career grades at second and third and solid marks at shortstop. This year, though, his range has mysteriously dropped off. He's hitting fine, but his value comes from his glove, and something just isn't clicking right now.

Andres Gimenez: 5 home runs
Gimenez is on pace to set a career high in homers. That power surge is a bright spot in an otherwise cloudy lineup, giving the Jays a much-needed jolt of pop from the middle infield.