Blue Jays' Contact-Heavy Approach: Rare in Modern Baseball

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The Toronto Blue Jays nearly won the World Series last year, with a contact heavy hitting

approach that led Major League Baseball in batting average at 265.

They came within two outs of their first title since 1993 before losing Game 7 to the

Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings.

More of their players ranked in the top 25 for average, including Boba Shett at second

overall.

That success built on strong hitting in prior years, too, as Toronto topped the majors

in 1922 and finished second in 2021.

Despite ranking just high for 11th and home runs, they placed third in on-base plus lugging

at 761, showing they combined contact with real power.

Blue Jays leaders credit intense training for versatility in the batter's box, for

removing runners to big hits with two strikes.

General manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider emphasized blending contact skills

with damage, avoiding just slapping the ball around like.

Ping pong.

Other teams praise the rare mix, but aren't rushing to copy it.

Pittsburgh's Don Kelly and Tampa Bay's Eric Neander call it special, yet modern baseball

prioritizes power over average, tolerating strikeouts for.

Home runs.

High batting average rarely wins titles anymore, with only the 2018 Red Sox and 2017 Astros

leading the league in average among, champions since 2002.

Pitching has evolved, too, with four seam fastballs averaging 94.5 miles per hour last year,

making contact tougher as league, averages dip below 250.

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