The Blue Jays search for a more potent offence is under way for real with the hiring of a new hitting coach.
The team announced on Monday that it has hired David Popkins, recently let go by the Minnesota Twins, as its newest addition to the coaching staff. Popkins will replace Guillermo Martinez, the designated fall guy for last season’s plate woes, who was released days after the last-place season ended..
“David’s ability to game plan and connect with players in different ways is a really exciting addition to our coaching staff,” Jays manager John Schneider said in a statement on Monday. “He’s a true expert in all types of hitting information and will help our offensive strategy for each game.”
After a season that was among the worst in franchise history in terms of run production, the Jays clearly had to make some changes. Besides firing Martinez, they also took the offensive coordinator portfolio from Don Mattingly, who returns to a more traditional bench coach role for 2025.
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The 34-year-old Popkins spent the three previous seasons as the Twins hitting coach. But after a September collapse (with a 9-18 record) that left them out of the American League playoff picture, the Twins opted not to renew Popkins’ contract.
Previously in his tenure in the Twin Cities, Popkins had some success, notably in 2023 when the Twins tied for the American League lead in homer runs with 233.
Popkins will oversee a Jays staff of hitting coaches that in 2024 included assistants Matt Hague and Hunter Mensa.
“We’re looking forward to the instant impact of his relentless work ethic,” Schneider said of the hire, the Jays first notable addition of the off-season.
In the disappointing 2024 season, the Jays scored just 671, a miserable effort that was the team’s lowest output since 1997. Will a new voice be enough to revive some of the bats that underperformed so dramatically?
“It warrants some real reflection on the way we’re putting the team together and combining talent,” team president Mark Shapiro said of the offensive woes at his end of (disappointing) season press conference. “I’m watching the same games as (general manager Ross Atkins) is and it’s just as frustrating for me knowing the amount of talent we have and thinking we should be scoring more.
“Certainly, learning from the past few seasons and some of our offensive disappointment is one of the things we’re seeking to do now. We need to be more thoughtful in how we produce runs.”
Judging by his comments, Schneider seems to feel that Popkins, who was well regarded by players in Minnesota, will bring a fresh voice — and approach — to the Jays.
On the final week of the season, Schneider shared his assessment of some of the team’s struggles at the plate.
“We still have good hitters that are here and need to perform better,” Schneider said. “I think that overall doing more damage on the fastball as a group (is what’s needed.)