The Blue Jays introduced immediately that they’ve employed David Popkins as their new hitting coach. It was reported a couple of weeks again that the Jays have been parting methods with earlier hitting coach Guillermo Martinez.
“David’s capability to sport plan and join with gamers in several methods is a very thrilling addition to our teaching employees,” stated supervisor John Schneider within the membership’s press launch, relayed by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com on X. “He’s a real professional in all sorts of hitting info and can assist our offensive technique for every sport. We’re wanting ahead to the moment impression of his relentless work ethic.”
Popkins was the hitting coach of the Twins for the previous three years, however his contract ended after 2024 and it was reported a couple of weeks again that it wouldn’t be renewed, sending him to the open market.
In 2022, the Twins hit a collective .248/.317/.401 for a wRC+ of 106, placing them tenth within the majors. Regardless of that robust offense, the membership completed 78-84 however fared higher the next 12 months. In 2023, the crew hit .243/.326/.428 for a 108 wRC+, tied for sixth within the majors. That helped them put up a file of 87-75, profitable the American League Central. The Twins defeated Popkins’ new membership within the Wild Card spherical, sweeping the Blue Jays two video games to none earlier than being defeated by the Astros within the Division Sequence.
2024 was trending in direction of being one other robust season in Minnesota however the membership collapsed within the second half. They have been holding a postseason spot for many of the marketing campaign however went 9-18 in September and missed out.
The offense nonetheless carried out pretty properly general, with a collective line of .246/.315/.411 and a 107 wRC+ that was ninth within the league. The bats did wilt as they membership was collapsing, with the Twins hitting .218/.285/.338 for a 78 wRC+ in September, although accidents could have performed a task there. Key gamers like Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Brooks Lee, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner and José Miranda all spent no less than a part of September on the injured checklist.
It’s all the time tough to separate the performances of the gamers from the teaching employees, however the Twins are coming off three straight seasons of above-average offense with Popkins as their hitting coach.
The Toronto offense has been trending down a little bit of late. In 2022, the membership hit .264/.329/.431 for a 118 wRC+, second solely to the Yankees. Final 12 months, they dropped to a .256/.329/.417 line and 107 wRC+, eighth within the majors. Right here in 2024, they have been barely above common, with a .241/.313/.389 line and 101 wRC+. The membership has determined to make some teaching changes that may hopefully flip that pattern round, although bettering the roster by way of free company and commerce would be the extra necessary issue.
