Hot-hitting Galvis trying to lead by example 

TORONTO -- While the spotlight has often been on the Blue Jays’ rotation and a number of the rookies so far this season in Toronto, one player has maintained a level of consistency that has gone unmatched.

“Steady” Freddy Galvis leads the team in hits, doubles, runs driven in, and is tied for the team lead in home runs and runs scored, as well as games played.

“I put in a lot of work through the offseason,” he said. “Last year, since the season was done, I started working out, started hitting, lifting, all that stuff, and I’ve tried to maintain that the whole year.”

Over his last 22 games, the 29-year-old shortstop has hit .372 (32-for-86) with six home runs, six doubles and 19 RBIs. He has hits in each of his last six games, ahead of Saturday’s matinee against the Orioles, with three home runs and a trio of doubles over that span, to which he credits the work he’s put in to make his swing more compact.

“I’ve been working with Guillermo [Martinez, the team’s hitting coach] to try to have a more compact swing, a shorter swing, and to put good contact on the ball,” Galvis said. “We try to stay there every day. It’s hard to do it, but we try and I think it’s been good so far.”

While the Blue Jays sit in the bottom half of the standings and are on pace for one of the worst finishes in franchise history, Galvis has had similar seasons with the Phillies and believes he’s found the formula to maintaining a level of positivity and motivation no matter what happens on the field.

“We’re here because we love to play baseball,” the native of Venezuela said. “Every day is a new day, and I just see it that way. It doesn’t matter the record we have, I just go out there and try to play for a win. And if we don’t win that day, I’m going to try to win the next day.”

On a team with a number of players currently in their freshman and sophomore seasons, Galvis is hoping that if there’s anything he can instill in them, it’s the importance of just being out on the field as much as possible.

“I try to play every day, because every time you do, you have that one opportunity what you can do on the field and to show the world what you can do,” Galvis said. “When you’re not playing, you cannot show that. You can work on your body, eat well, train every day, then you can play every day.

“One [younger player] might see you, and then they might try to be like you, or to play baseball the way you play. For me, I try to go out and play baseball the right way. So if there are some guys watching me, I hope they learn that.”

Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo is grateful to have the influence the eight-year Major League veteran brings, and is hopeful the young members of his squad can glean something similar.

“Those guys see that in a guy who plays every day,” Montoyo said. “Every day I joke, ‘You want a day off tomorrow?’ He laughs and says no. He wants to play. He knows how to take care of his body. He’s a good example for these kids.”

Despite the on-field outcomes and the team’s overall record, Galvis has enjoyed his season so far and is excited about what the future may bring.

“I like that we have so many young guys, and the young guys and the other guys are really good guys,” Galvis said. “Everybody gets along, and we’re starting right now to play more together.

“And we try to fight to the end, and that makes everything really fun. I really like the city, I really like the stadium, I like my coaching staff, so it’s a combination of a little bit of everything that makes you like the team, and the city.”