Nathan

Lukes

The Blue Jays managed nine walks and nine singles, but Lukes was the only player with an extra-base hit against the Guardians during Thursday’s Blue Angels Practice Matinee. The 32-year-old corner bat has hit .264/.310/.528 with four homers in his last 15 games as the Jays try to get back in the AL Wild Card picture.

There was only one single ball in play that turned into runs in this game, and it came off Lukes’ bat in the form of a three-run homer. He’s been solid albeit unspectacular for the Blue Jays in a strong-side platoon role with nine home runs and a .264 batting average in 98 games.

Lukes hit a two-run single in the ninth inning, but was thrown out at second base while trying to stretch it into a double, which ended the game. He’s 7-for-28 (.250) with two home runs and seven RBI over his last eight games. Lukes is hitting .263 with a .691 OPS and 28 RBI on the year.

Not a bad effort at all considering that Lukes wasn’t even in Toronto’s lineup to open the contest. He entered as a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning and immediately delivered an RBI single to extended the Blue Jays’ early lead. He wound up supplying a pivotal insurance run when he took Yankees rookie reliever Bradley Hanner deep in the eighth inning for his eighth round-tripper of the season. With the victory, Toronto pulls within one game of the Rangers for the final AL Wild Card playoff spot.

Lukes knocked a base hit in the third inning and reached with another hit in the ninth before coming through for Toronto in a big spot in the 11th. With the game tied, he took Chase Shugart deep for a two-run homer to put the Blue Jays ahead with what would be the game-winning runs. The 32-year-old outfielder is up to six homers while hitting .268/.322/.375 across 298 plate appearances.

As a team, the Jays were only able to muster four hits in the ballgame — all of them singles — with Lukes collecting half of them on his own. He’s having a solid season overall at the dish, slashing .286/.339/.398 with five homers and 18 RBI in 227 plate appearances.

Lukes knocked a base hit in the first inning. After the Blue Jays were blanked through seven innings, he delivered a two-run homer off Cole Winn to put Toronto on the board. The 31-year-old outfielder has hit well this season, slashing .310/.357/.439 with four homers, 18 runs scored, and 17 RBI across 170 plate appearances.

Toronto skipper John Schneider told reporters Varsho underwent an MRI that didn’t reveal any structural issues. It remains unclear why he simply hasn’t gone to the injured list since he’s out of the lineup for the fourth straight game with a lingering left wrist issue. It’s plausible that he’s available off the bench, if needed, but the Blue Jays will roll with Nathan Lukes patrolling center field on Tuesday night.

Lukes is raking after a frightening bout with vertigo. He missed practically the entire month of May and played sparingly in April, but is 13-for-30 since returning a week and a half ago and smashed his first home run of the season in this one. The Blue Jays pushed him right back to the top of their order as well with Lukes hitting either first or second in all seven starts since being activated. He could be a fun target in a deep league.

Blue Jays skipper John Schneider told reporters the decision was made to give Lukes some time to rest his hamstring and isn’t related to him being struck in the helmet by a pitch during Monday’s series opener. The 31-year-old outfielder went 3-for-4 in his return from the injured list after missing nearly a month with a left hamstring strain. Daulton Varsho is back in the lineup patrolling center field on Tuesday night at the Rogers Centre.