Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins takes jab at the Houston Astros
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Victor William
Feb 24, 2026 (1:08 PM)
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Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Jesús Sánchez joining the Blue Jays sparks a massive offensive revival that gives fans genuine hope for a deep championship run.
The front office refused to sit quietly after watching the lineup struggle against right-handed pitching down the stretch.
They aggressively searched for a solution.
Bringing a hungry left-handed slugger into the clubhouse changes the entire offensive dynamic immediately.
Hitting coach David Popkins recently revealed a brilliant approach to rebuild our newest outfielder's confidence.
The focus is entirely on positive reinforcement.
The coaching staff wants to eliminate the robotic adjustments forced upon him by his previous team.
They trust his natural athleticism to take over.
«He went over to Houston, and they had some ideas for him to change some things and I think they didn't quite resonate with his personality and who he is as a hitter. It kind of went more towards weakness prevention than his strengths, so we're shifting him back more towards, 'We want you to do what you do well.' Let's start there, then we can go elsewhere. We're just trying to see him have rhythm again and get his swing off. We're excited. He's had some good days the last couple of days.» -Popkins
Jesús Sánchez (Signed as international free agent, 2014 by Tampa Bay Rays) arrived at camp carrying a massive chip on his shoulder.
He wants to prove his doubters wrong.
The 28-year-old split last season between Miami and Houston, finishing the year hitting .237 with 14 home runs.
Those numbers hardly reflect his true ceiling.
The coaching staff unleashes his hidden power
His brief stint in Texas clearly restricted his explosive bat speed and destroyed his natural timing at the plate.
Fans are absolutely thrilled to see management finally let a gifted hitter just grip and rip without fear.
The Rogers Centre crowd loves a comeback story.
The Astros reportedly focused heavily on weakness prevention, which completely suffocated his aggressive mentality.
Toronto refuses to repeat that exact same mistake.
Popkins demands that his hitters focus on what they do best.
For this young slugger, that means hitting the baseball extremely hard.
Finding a comfortable home in Canada offers him the ultimate chance at personal and professional redemption.
A fresh start cures a lot of bad habits.
We watched George Springer and Ernie Clement thrive last season under this exact same simplified hitting strategy.
The blueprint for success already exists in our building.
Putting players in a position to succeed creates an unstoppable energy inside the dugout.
A happy hitter is a dangerous hitter.
Letting this kid swing freely turns a smart winter trade into an absolute heist for the franchise.
The ceiling is incredibly high.
The stadium will be shaking when his first massive moonshot lands deep in the second deck.
Baseball in Toronto is about to get very loud again.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
The Toronto Blue Jays unleashing surprising lineup against the New York Yankees
The Toronto Blue Jays unleashing surprising lineup against the New York Yankees
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 24|305 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins takes jab at the Houston Astros Will Jesús Sánchez hit over 20 home runs for the Blue Jays this season? | ||
| Yes | 209 | 68.5 % |
| No | 96 | 31.5 % |
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