Toronto's Blue Jays have revolutionized their offensive strategy, swinging their way to a historic playoff performance. This team's approach is a fascinating blend of contact hitting and power, and it's working wonders.
The Blue Jays have an incredible ability to make contact with the ball, striking out at an incredibly low rate. In fact, they've achieved the lowest strikeout rate in the league this season and in the postseason. This strategy has paid off, as they scored the fourth-most runs in the regular season and are currently leading the postseason.
But here's where it gets controversial: while contact is their forte, they've also shown they can mash homers when needed. In their Division Series against the Yankees, they hit nine homers and slugged an impressive .601, which is one of the highest slugging percentages in postseason history. It's not just the power hitters; even Ernie Clement, known for his light hitting, got in on the action with a two-run homer.
The key to their success lies in the combination of contact and power. While their emphasis on contact is valuable, it's the ability to turn those hits into valuable contact that sets them apart.
And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about making contact. The Blue Jays have mastered the art of swinging with intent. In the ALDS, they swung at over 70% of pitches in the strike zone, a strategy that paid off with an 82% contact rate and the lowest walk rate of any DS team.
But here's the real kicker: their average bat speed in the postseason is the same as the best teams in April, and their fast-swing rate has nearly doubled since then. This increase in bat speed is a result of both new players and existing ones swinging harder.
So, can you teach contact hitters to swing harder? It seems the 2025 Blue Jays are proving that you can.
What do you think? Is this a sustainable strategy, or is it a flash in the pan? Let's discuss in the comments!
