Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy referred to his soaring team as a bunch of “Average Joes” earlier this season. But with Murphy’s blessing, we’d like to borrow that moniker to assess the Toronto Blue Jays‘ postseason hopes.
Despite some big names on the roster, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and George Springer (the latter two, we grant you, were having terrific comeback seasons), it’s the other guys—the so-called ‘Average Joes‘—who have really been the keys to this team’s success in 2025.
Led by manager John Schneider and new hitting coach David Popkins, the team’s new approach at the plate this season has been adopted by both All-Stars and ‘average’ players alike. And it’s led the Toronto offense to some major league-leading numbers:
- Batting average: .265
- Hits: 1,461
- On-Base Pct.: .333
- Avg. with RISP: .292
The Jays were also third overall in OPS (.760), third in doubles (294), and second in fewest strikeouts (1,099, just 6.78 K/game), and OPS with RISP (.810).
There’s nothing ‘average’ about those stats.
Yes, Bichette was having a monster season before his injury, leading the majors in hits with 181. George Springer looked like the Springer of old. And Alejandro Kirk has had his own stunning bounce-back season as well. But this is a complete team with production up and down the lineup.
The ‘Average Joes’ that have been key to this Blue Jays season
Where would this team be without the likes of Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Tyler Heineman, Myles Straw, Joey Loperfido, and Nathan Lukes? With good swings, being aggressive and making good contact, those players, who were all below-average hitters in 2024, have become terrific contributors this season.
In a recent conversation with Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star, Popkins described his philosophy that allowed him to turn all those guys into Above-Average Joes.
It’s pretty dynamic in the sense that it’s tailoring and customizing each guy’s approach to what they naturally do well, their natural athleticism. And trying to be as creative as possible with as many solutions as each can have. I told them, ‘if you do certain things well, we’re going to maximize that. If you don’t do certain things well, that’s OK, we’re going to build a plan for you’.
Let’s face it, GM Ross Atkins did not spend the offseason ‘building a plan’ at the top of the roster that would turn this team into the first-place juggernaut it became.
Anthony Santander? A disastrous $90 million contract to this point. Max Scherzer? A 5.19 ERA is not what the Jays had in mind when they brought him in. Andres Gimenez? Yes, he provided the superb defense that could have been expected. But taking on the five years and $100 million left on his contract will be a tough pill to swallow over the next few seasons. Gimenez posted the worst offensive numbers of any second baseman in baseball, with a .210/.285/.313 slash line with a .598 OPS and a 66 OPS+.
Now, with Bichette out for the ALDS, and Guerrero struggling mightily down the stretch, it’s Popkins and his ‘Average Joes’ for the Jays who must continue their above-average seasons if Toronto is to advance deep into the playoffs.
