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The Toronto Blue Jays have added long-time San Francisco Giants leader Brandon Belt to their lineup and he is looking to hit the ground running. After a knee injury hindered him during much of 2022, Belt said that he is now fully healthy and ready to contribute to his new team. This comes as a great relief to the team and fans alike who had concerns about his knee surgery.
Belt hit for a batting average of .213 in 2022, which was by far the worst of his career. His career batting average of .261 is much more indicative of the caliber of player he is. As long as his knee injury is as resolved as he claims it is, he should be back around that .261 mark, if not exceeding it.
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet shared the comments made by Brandon Belt on Twitter.
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"I'll flat out say it right now, I feel like I'm going to be who I was in 2020 and 2021. And if it doesn't end up like that, it's not because of something physical. It's because I didn't have the year I should have had" - Brandon Belt
Considering the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping to be World Series contenders this season, that is great to hear. The San Francisco Giants legend has no shortage of playoff experience and will be taking it north of the border.
Shi Davidi also shared Belt's statement on what role he would be playing with his new team via Twitter.
"They pretty much told me I was going to be DH most of the time and I'll be able to play 1B as well to give Vladdy some time off his feet. I think I'm going to get a really good amount of playing time" - Brandon Belt
Having a veteran presence who can take some of the load off Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the season drags on could be critical to the team's success.
Can the Toronto Blue Jays be the best American League team in 2023?
The American League in 2023 will likely see the same top teams as it did in 2022. Teams like the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Toronto Blue Jays all made good improvements this offseason. Despite this, it is hard to put one significantly over the other.
If the Toronto Blue Jays signings pay off the way they intend, they should be challenging for the pennant in October.
