Blue Jays Should Consider Swing Change for Two Stars Suffering Power Outage
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been painfully inconsistent in several facets of the game during the 2025 MLB regular season.
It is a major reason why they are 22-24 after 46 games and kind of stuck in no-man’s land when it comes to their playoff hopes.
If they are remotely close to being in the mix, the front office has all of the incentive to be aggressive and make more upgrades to the roster. Should they fall out of the race, they will be one of the most popular team in the league with several valuable assets.
To avoid a drop in the standings, the Blue Jays need their offense to wake up and start producing to the level of their capabilities.
Throughout the year, they have suffered a power outage. Their 40 home runs are tied for the fifth fewest in MLB, with Daulton Varsho, who has only 57 plate appearances, leading the team with six.
Three players are tied for second behind him; designated hitter Anthony Santander, outfielder George Springer and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Out of those three, Santander has been the most disappointing, looking like a total bust of a free agent signing.
Which Blue Jays Players Could Use a Swing Path Change?
He hasn’t provided the team with any positive impact to this point, but could a swing change help turn things around?
As shared by David Adler of MLB.com, Santander has one of the flatest swing paths in baseball at 24 degrees.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of power, but for someone whose game is built around hitting the long ball, an adjustment to swing angle could help him re-discover the power stroke that he showed previously with the Baltimore Orioles.
A flat swing path has done wonders for someone such as Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays, who has an all-fields approach that swinging as level as possible benefits from.
It is similar to what Santander’s teammate, catcher Alejandro Kirk, does.
He also has a swing path of 24 degrees and isn’t hitting for much power.
However, extra-base hits haven’t ever been a big part of his impact on the field. He has hit at least 16 doubles every year since taking over as the full-time catcher, but has only 39 home runs in 1,705 plate appearances.
But Kirk is consistently putting the ball in the air, whether it is a line drive or fly ball. It has led to a solid .287/.310/.382 slash line.
Again, some power could be unlocked with a swing path that is steeper, but he is at least producing hits. If he continues hitting .287, which would be a career-high, Toronto would take it as his calling card is his defense.
