Last year, Cavan Biggio and Santiago Espinal led a group that combined to hit .249 with 10 home runs and a .691 O.P.S. During a down 2021 season, Chapman hit .210 with 27 home runs and a .716 O.P.S. In his previous four seasons combined, he posted an .839 O.P.S., and he smashed 36 home runs in 2019.
In explaining the dip in offense last year, Chapman pointed to hip surgery he had undergone in September 2020 that required rehabilitation during the off-season and thus cut into his strength and conditioning heading into the 2021 season. He said he had felt the weakness more at the plate than in the field. Over the winter, he said, he lifted weights, ran and built his power as he normally would.
Chapman, though, will make his mark on defense. Blue Jays pitchers produced a lot of ground balls toward third base last season — something Chapman was already salivating over — and that should work well for the three-time Gold Glove award winner. In 2018 and 2019, he reached an even higher level, winning the Platinum Glove, an annual prize given to the single best defender in each league regardless of position. The Blue Jays hope the enormous defensive upgrade can help them win their first championship since 1993.
“At the end there in Oakland, a lot were starting to question the direction it was going,” he said. “But coming here, the direction is clear: wanting to win a World Series.”
In the coming days and weeks, Guerrero said, his goal is to get to know all of the new faces on the team. Falling short of the postseason last year, he said, will motivate the Blue Jays to win “more than 100 games” this season. (Thankfully for them, the postseason has expanded from 10 to 12 teams.) And in his mind, the movie he has dreamed of has one particular ending.
“There are 29 other teams competing, too,” Guerrero said, “but that’s the mind-set here: to reach the World Series and win it.”
