9 Danny Jansen C

Jansen went 1-for-3 with a grand slam in Monday's split-squad game against the Rays.

After Blake Snell had walked four of the first five batters he faced and gotten the hook, Trevor Richards entered the game and was promptly taken deep by Jansen on his second pitch. The 24-year-old catcher focused on improving his hitting routine and swing mechanics this offseason and the work has paid off in spades so far, as Jansen now sports a .429/.529/1.071 slash line through 17 plate appearances with three homers and a 3:1 BB:K. After a disappointing 2019 campaign at the plate, Jansen could be poised for a breakout.

Jansen spent the offseason developing a pre-game hitting routine to help him maintain a consistent swing plane and spot flaws in his mechanics, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports.

The 24-year-old came up through the minors with a reputation as a bat-first catcher, but he spent last season focused on improving his defense and pitch framing. His .639 OPS reflected the lack of attention he was giving that side of his game, but Jansen now hits a weighted ball off a tee as part of his pre-game preparations. "I've always taken hitting very seriously, but I've always felt like I just didn't need tee work," Jansen said Tuesday morning. "I just wanted to get my timing down, that was the most important thing for me, until I went into this off-season and developed. I like to hit off a tee now, I actually want to, and I need it. I'm starting to understand my body more and my swing." He posted a .275/.390/.473 slash line through 88 games for Triple-A Buffalo in 2018, and a return to something close to that level of production would likely allow Jansen to seize the No. 1 job behind the plate for Toronto rather than working in a timeshare with Reese McGuire.

Jansen isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.

Jansen has started just three games in September, and he's failed to register a hit over that stretch (0-for-9). Reese McGuire is set to handle the catching duties and hit seventh.

Jansen is out of the lineup against the Rays on Saturday.

Jansen appears to have lost his role down the stretch, as he's started just four of the last 11 games behind the plate. Reese McGuire gets the nod Saturday in his absence.

Jansen is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rays.

Jansen is hitting just .208 with a .646 OPS through 99 games this season. He'll sit for a second straight game and the fourth time in six games as Reese McGuire picks up a start behind the dish Thursday.

Jansen is not in the lineup Tuesday against Atlanta.

Jansen sits for the third time in the last five games. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the bench fairly frequently down the stretch, as he's hit just .208/.280/.366 this season. Beau Taylor will catch Tuesday.

Jansen is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros.

The Blue Jays will alternate starts between their top two backstops for a fifth consecutive game, with Reese McGuire getting the nod behind the dish in the series finale. Jansen wrapped up August with a 1-for-4 showing in Saturday's 6-4 win, bringing his monthly average to .245.

Jansen is not in the lineup Friday against Houston.

Jansen has just one hit in his last five starts. Reese McGuire gets the call behind the plate in his absence for the fourth time in six games.

Jansen remains on the bench Tuesday against the Braves.

Jansen hits the bench in favor of Reese McGuire for the third time in four games. Jansen has hit just .179/.273/.359 over his last 25 games.

Jansen is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Reese McGuire gets another turn behind the dish while Jansen rests in the series finale. Jansen has gone hitless in 11 at-bats over his last four games, which has hurt his case for gaining hold of a larger portion of the timeshare at catcher.

Jansen isn't in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Mariners.

Jansen is 0-for-9 at the dish over his last three contests, so he'll take a seat for Friday's series opener. Reese McGuire will handle the catching duties and hit ninth with Jansen out of the mix.

Jansen is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Jansen has started four of the past five games, going 3-for-13 with a home run and two RBI. Reese McGuire is starting behind the dish and hitting eighth in this one.

Jansen is not in Saturday's lineup against the Mariners.

He is hitting .324 with four home runs -- including a solo shot Friday -- in nine August games. Reese McGuire will start at catcher, hitting ninth.

Jansen isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers.

Jansen is in line for a night off after going 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in Monday's series opener. Reese McGuire will handle the catching duties and hit ninth with Jansen out of the mix.

Jansen went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and two additional runs scored in Monday's win over the Rangers.

His eighth-inning blast was the cherry on top of a 19-run sundae by the Jays offense. Jansen has now gone yard twice in his last three starts and three times in seven August contests, giving the catcher a solid 11 homers and 40 RBI through 90 games this season.

Manager Charlie Montoyo said Jansen will split time with Reese McGuire behind the plate down the stretch, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Since the start of August, Jansen has started six games behind the dish while McGuire has started five, a trend that is expected to continue moving forward. Since the start of the second half, Jansen is slashing just .186/.269/.300 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 22 games, though he's been providing quality defense amid his offensive struggles.

Jansen is not in Sunday's lineup against the Yankees.

He is hitting .186 with two home runs in 22 games since the All-Star break but has been providing quality defense amid the offensive struggles. Reese McGuire is starting at catcher and hitting ninth.

Jansen went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer in Friday's win over the Yankees.

The catcher now has two homers in five August starts, giving him 10 long balls on the year. Jansen's .206/.275/.363 slash line doesn't stand out, and he could be slipping into a timeshare with Reese McGuire as the Jays try to get a good look at all their younger players down the stretch.

Jansen is not in the lineup Thursday against the Yankees, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Jansen and Reese McGuire have alternated starts behind the dish over the past six games, but Jansen will sit for a second straight game as he's gone just 1-for-12 with four strikeouts during that stretch.

Jansen is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.

For the sixth game in a row, the Blue Jays will alternate the starts at catcher between Jansen and Reese McGuire. Though Jansen maintains the top spot on the depth chart, manager Charlie Montoyo's recent usage of his backstops suggests a timeshare could be in place while the 24-year-old labors through a rough second half. Over his 20 games since the All-Star break, Jansen is slashing .185/.254/.262 with a 28.2 percent strikeout rate.