Blue Jays coach criticizes Astros tactics and wants to reinvigorate Sanchez’s bat

It wasn't that long ago when Jesús Sánchez was considered one of the top up-and-coming players in MLB. Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Miami Marlins, Sànchez was ranked as high as the 39th best prospect in baseball in 2019. That's the same year when Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was ranked first overall.

Sànchez, who was acquired by the Blue Jays in a trade earlier in February, was ahead of players like Luis Robert Jr., Sean Murphy, Pete Alonso and Andrés Giménez. Now the 28-year-old lefty handed hitter is hoping his new team, the Blue Jays, can truly help him unlock all of that potential. Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins says there is a way to doing that, and it's not the way the Houston Astro's went about it last year.

Blue Jays coach criticizes Astros tactics and wants to reinvigorate Sanchez’s bat

MLB.com Blue Jays beat reporter Keegan Matheson talked to Popkins about some of the approaches Toronto's hitters are taking with them into the new year and Popkins piped up about the way the Astro's handled Sànchez last season. Popkins said, "“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.”

During his six years in Miami, Sànchez never hit for a high average, but he did put the ball in play, with a .304 BABIP and he averaged 14 home runs per season. But at the deadline last year he went to the Astros and managed just four home runs in 48 games with his BABIP dropping to .245, the lowest of his career, outside his debut 2020 season. His strikeout rate rose from 20.8% to 25% and his average exit velocity dropped from 92.1 mph to 89 mph.

The Blue Jays are hoping that by working with Popkins, Sànchez can not only get back to being more productive at the plate like he was during his Marlins days, but maybe even reach a level beyond that. Getting players to tap into their strengths was a core focus of last year's Blue Jays group.

George Springer had his best season as a Blue Jay, winning a Silver Slugger award as a DH. Ernie Clement had a monster season against left-handed pitchers. While his overall numbers were just fine (.277/.313/.398 slash with a .711 OPS) he was among the league's best against southpaws with a .326/.351/.549 slash line with a .900 OPS. If Sànchez can replicate some of that production in a platoon role against lefties, it will be another feather in the cap for Pokins as a hitting coach and his comments about the Astro's approach will be fully justified.