Blue Jays bid to ignite power surge vs. Astros

The Toronto Blue Jays have been in a power drought this season.

Toronto hitters will attempt to drive some balls on Monday night when they open a three-game road series against the Houston Astros.

The Blue Jays have just 12 homers in 22 games. Only the Kansas City Royals (11) have fewer.

“That will come,” Toronto manager John Schneider told reporters. “And I think that will come fairly quickly. I don’t think there’s any reason to panic.”

Andres Gimenez leads the Blue Jays with three homers. Superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has just one blast.

Guerrero does have nine multi-hit games and is batting .305. Former Houston standout George Springer is batting .344 with two homers and 11 RBIs, and Bo Bichette is hitting .313 but has yet to go deep.

Toronto lost two of three games to the Seattle Mariners over the weekend and allowed eight runs in each setback.

“You’re missing the big hit,” Schneider said. “That’s what the missing piece was this series.”

Houston, meanwhile, won two of three home games from the hot San Diego Padres over the weekend. Sunday’s 3-2 loss dropped the Astros below .500.

New first baseman Christian Walker continued to struggle by going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts to drop his average to .156. Walker hit his second homer of the season on Saturday but ended up 2-for-12 in the series. He is 3-for-26 over his last eight appearances.

Walker received a three-year, $60 million contract from Houston in the offseason to provide pop.

“It’s trying to figure out how to get balls in the air consistently,” Walker said. “I feel like when I put it on the barrel, I hit it hard. But I’ve got to get those up in the air and try to get them in the gap.”

Walker batted fifth in the past two games — a demotion from hitting cleanup for the first 19.

“I get it,” he said. “We’re here to win. And if I’m not doing what I need to be to help the team win in the four-hole, an adjustment needs to be made. I’m willing to be accountable, and admit I need to be better. If there’s someone else who can do that job better at the moment, let’s do it.”

Making matters worse is that Kevin Gausman (2-1, 2.49 ERA) will take the mound for the Blue Jays on Monday. Walker is 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts against the right-hander.

The 34-year-old Gausman is off to a strong start. He has allowed just 15 hits over 25 1/3 innings and has struck out 20 while issuing just three walks.

Gausman defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Tuesday in his last turn when he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings. He served up two solo homers.

Gausman is 3-4 with a 5.01 ERA in seven career starts against the Astros. Jose Altuve is 4-for-12 with a homer versus him.

Houston will counter with right-hander Hunter Brown (2-1, 1.50 ERA) on Monday.

Brown, 26, has tossed six shutout innings in each of his last two starts. He gave up two hits in a no-decision against the Seattle Mariners on April 9 and then allowed four hits in a 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals last Tuesday.

Brown is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts versus the Blue Jays. Springer (2-for-6) and Gimenez (2-for-3) each have homered against Brown, while Bichette is hitless in five at-bats.

–Field Level Media