TORONTO -- Something has gotten into Danny Jansen.
The 24-year-old catcher has been on an absolute tear at the plate lately, and he added to his offensive outburst on Thursday by sending two balls out of the park in the first multihomer game of his career -- also adding a double to record three extra-base hits in a contest for the first time -- in an eventual 8-7 series finale loss to the Red Sox at Rogers Centre.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I knew he was going to hit bombs like that in three straight days,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “He’s locked in right now. ... Even the outs he makes, he just misses the ball by a little bit. He’s been fun to watch the last couple of days. That’s good for him.”
Jansen believes his impressive burst of production started last week in New York, where the Blue Jays faced the Yankees. In the Bronx, the Wisconsin native made some modifications in his stance that have become game-changers for the man with four home runs in his last three games.
“I changed my mentality a little bit with being ready for the fastball and reacting, instead of trying to wait and see what’s coming, by getting started early,” Jansen said. “The way I went about getting started early and on time was a little different.
“I changed that up, got into my lower half, and I just feel like I’m ready to fire at any time. It was probably right at that last game in Boston and into New York when I made that mental and physical adjustment.”
Since that matchup against the Yankees a little over a week ago, Jansen has hit .448 with six home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs in eight games. And with the first of his two long balls on Thursday, he earned a spot in Toronto’s record books.
Jansen became the fourth catcher in franchise history to go deep in three consecutive games, joining Ernie Whitt -- who accomplished the feat in 1985 and homered in four straight games in ’89 -- J.P. Arencibia, who did it in ’12 and Russell Martin, who homered in three consecutive matchups in ’16 and ’18.
“I’ve never been a home run guy, really,” he said. “I’m trying to stay level-headed, though. I’m riding an extreme high right now, and I want to stay coasting, stay riding the wave and stay true to myself and keep putting in the work. Nothing’s changing with work or anything like that, I’m just glad to be out contributing, and I’m looking to keep doing it.”
“The way he’s hitting the last couple days, you have no idea how happy that makes me,” Montoyo said. “Because I have so much respect for this kid, and the reason why is because the whole time he’s struggling, whenever we win a game, he’s the happiest guy and giving high fives, and not everybody’s like that.
“He keeps working on his defense and game planning, and he’s happy after the games when we win. I have a lot of respect for that kid, so I’m happy he’s swinging the bat better now.”
All eight of Jansen’s home runs this season have traveled more than 400 feet. Both of his blasts on Thursday were to straightaway center field, the first a 429-foot shot and the second landing 416 feet from home plate.
Perhaps most impressively, he has gone 34 straight plate appearances without a strikeout, the longest active streak in the Majors. He has only missed one pitch during that time.
“You could say I’m pretty locked in,” he said. “I’ve always considered myself pretty good at putting the bat on the ball when I’m going well and when I’m not thinking about mechanics or anything like that. I’ve always been able to put the bat on the ball, that’s one of my strengths and another thing I take a lot of pride in.”
Added Montoyo: “I didn’t know that stat. He’s been locked in. He’s been aggressive, swinging at the first pitch, and that’s a good sign. I like when hitters, when they’re hot, you’re ready to hit. He’s hot right now and he’s ready to hit, from the first pitch on. That is a pretty cool stat.”
There’s hardly been anyone more excited to see Jansen’s offensive outburst than Montoyo, and the young catcher couldn’t be more grateful to be producing for the manager who has instilled so much confidence in him.
“He’s very excited,” Jansen said. “Charlie has a lot of faith in me, and I know that and I’m so grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given every day, even when I was struggling. It makes me happy seeing Charlie being happy, just because he trusted me and he had faith in me and I’m finally contributing and helping out.”