The Blue Jays announced today that they have hired David Popkins as their new hitting coach. It was a few weeks back that the Jays were parting ways with previous hitting coach Guillermo Martinez Mel Stottlemyre Jersey . Davids ability to game plan and connect with players in different ways is a really exciting addition to our coaching staff, said manager John Schneider in the clubs pre s release, relayed by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com . Hes a true expert in all types of hitting information and will help our offensive strategy for each game. Were looking forward to the instant impact of his relentle s work ethic. Popkins was the hitting coach of the Twins for the past three years, but his contract ended after 2024 and it was a few weeks back that it wouldnt be renewed, sending him to the open market. In 2022, the Twins hit a collective .248/.317/.401 for a wRC+ of 106, putting them 10th in the majors. Despite that strong offense, the club finished 78-84 but fared better the following year. In 2023, the team hit .243/.326/.428 for a 108 wRC+, tied for sixth in the majors. That helped them put up a record of 87-75, winning the American League Central. The Twins defeated Popkins new club in the Wild Card round, sweeping the Blue Jays two games to none before being defeated by the Astros in the Division Series. 2024 was trending towards being another strong season in Minnesota but the club collapsed in the second half. They were holding a postseason spot for most of the campaign but went 9-18 in September and mi sed out. The offense still performed fairly well overall, with a collective line of .246/.315/.411 and a 107 wRC+ that was ninth in the league. The bats did wilt as they club was collapsing, with the Twins hitting .218/.285/.338 for a 78 wRC+ in September, though injuries may have played a role there. Key players like , , , , , and all spent at least part of September on the injured list. It is always difficult to separate the performances of the players from the coaching staff, but 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 bit of late. In 2022, the club hit .264/.329/.431 for a 118 wRC+, second only to the Yankees. Last year, they dropped to a .256/.329/.417 line and 107 wRC+, eighth in the majors. Here in 2024, they were barely above average, with a .241/.313/.389 line and 101 wRC+. The club has decided to make some coaching adjustments that will hopefully turn that trend around, though improving the roster via free agency and trade will be the more important factor. Jared Serna Jersey
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