Inside The Twins

Ex-Twins hitting coach David Popkins hired by Blue Jays in same role

Popkins was let go by the Twins after their late-season collapse.
Will Ragatz|
Feb 24, 2023; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins hitting coach David Popkins (79) during photo day at Hammond Stadium.
Feb 24, 2023; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins hitting coach David Popkins (79) during photo day at Hammond Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Twins

Former Twins hitting coach David Popkins has been hired by the Toronto Blue Jays in the same role, they announced on Monday.

Popkins and fellow hitting coaches Rudy Hernandez and Derek Shomon were let go by the Twins earlier this month, following the conclusion of a stunning late-season collapse that saw them miss the postseason.

Minnesota then hired Matt Borgschulte as its hitting coach. He was previously with the Twins' organization as a hitting coach at various minor league levels from 2018-21 before spending the last three seasons as the Baltimore Orioles' co-hitting coach. In hiring Borgschulte, they're essentially getting a do-over on the decision to hire Popkins over him in 2022.

The Twins had some good offensive seasons under Popkins, highlighted by a 2023 season where they hit 233 home runs (tied for third-most in the league) and had a .753 OPS (seventh). They were tenth in runs scored and 11th in OPS this past season, but they went ice cold on offense during their six-week collapse to end the season. The Twins averaged just 3.6 runs per game over their final 39 contests, going 12-27 in that span to miss the playoffs despite having over a 95 percent chance to make it on September 2. As a result, something had to change.

The Blue Jays were 23rd in runs scored and 18th in OPS in 2024.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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