MLB Network: More teams will build their offense like the Toronto Blue Jays
Photo credit: CANADIAN PRESS - Nathan Denette
After the Toronto Blue Jays historic 2025 season, other teams are taking notice of their offensive approach and success going forward.
After the Blue Jays disposed of powerhouse teams like the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and took the back to back World champion Los Angeles Dodgers all the way to the 11th inning in game 7 of the World Series, other teams are taking notice.
On MLB Network's Hot Stove, Harold Reynolds and the panel discussed the Blue Jays 2025 offensive phenomenon extensively.
"We saw from the Blue Jays a new roadmap to success in baseball. Put the ball in play, put pressure on teams, I think they changed how the game is played. Every winner has played that style, except for the Dodgers this year. Last year the Dodgers put the ball in play way more than they did this year. They were lucky this year to be honest with you. Blue Jays had the lowest strikeout rate in baseball. I remember when Boston won it all, Alex Cora said I can't have guys striking out 200 times a year. I think with the new rules, no shifting, new pitch clock, the Blue Jays showed us this is how you win games."
Will we see more teams build their offenses like the Blue Jays after this season? #MLBNHotStove
Blue Jays 2025 offensive model may be replicated by other teams going forward
To push the defending champs as far as they could be pushed, Toronto leaned on a diverse, balanced offense that ranked among MLB's best all season (fourth in runs per game) and somehow got better in the playoffs despite the unforgiving crucible created by October-style pitching staffs.
All of this from a team that just a year ago finished last in the AL East and ranked 23rd in scoring.
All this from a team that, after some disappointing free agent pursuits over the past couple of years, entered the playoffs with largely the same roster as last year.
The Blue Jays have constructed a lineup that balances the objective of making consistent contact -- even in today's hyper-strikeout context -- remarkably, without losing the ability to hit the ball out of the park and for extra bases.
The Blue Jays aren't all batting average, and it's not all about simply making contact. Toronto rated better than the MLB average in home run percentage and isolated power. The Blue Jays were also third in line-drive rate, which helps fuel the average.
During the regular season, the Blue Jays ranked 23rd in the majors in scoring 38.3% of their runs on home runs. That number rose to 48% in the playoffs, but the strikeout rate remained low.
The Blue Jays led the majors with the lowest strikeout rate (17.8%) of any team over the past eight seasons -- and lowered that number to 17.1% in the postseason, the lowest by a playoff team that played at least three games since the 2014 San Francisco Giants.
The increase in home run percentage in the playoffs paired with the stunning improvement in strikeout rate unsurprisingly led to more scoring.
Toronto scored 4.93 runs per game during the season, ranking fourth, but rolled up an average of 5.83 runs during its 18 postseason games, nearly 30% more than any other team.
John Schneider and his players tout the work of hitting coach David Popkins and his staff.
When they were hired last fall, the hitting coaches had no way to know that they were working with a championship-caliber offense because the lineup was not on that level last season.
"[Popkins] gets praise, but he probably doesn't get enough," Bo Bichette said. "The energy he brings every day is second to none. I've never experienced that from a coach, the passion. When you have that type of passion, you tend to really learn about your craft and learn what it takes. He's helped all of us for sure."
They didn't win it all, but the season was a triumph for the Blue Jays, a triumph for Toronto and a triumph for all of Canada.
And if more teams can be like the Blue Jays going forward, it'll be a triumph for baseball fans, too.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 9 | 844 ANSWERS MLB Network: More teams will build their offense like the Toronto Blue Jays Do you think more teams will model their offense after the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays? | ||
TRENDING NOW
