ALCS Favorite Thankful for Fired Twins Coach

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David Popkins
Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins waved the white flag on their 2025 season when they ripped the roster apart at the trade deadline back in late July. Really though, sweeping changes throughout the organization began long before then, going all the way back to the 2023-24 offseason, when they cut $30 million in player payroll in order to “right size the business”.

Goodbye Jorge Polanco, goodbye Sonny Gray… hello losing. The next season, Rocco, Correa, Buxton and the crew started hot, until injuries lit the match on a catastrophic second half collapse down the stretch that wiped them out of the playoff picture and triggered yet another round of in-house cuts, this time at both the front office and coaching levels.

President of baseball operations Derek Falvey spared manager Rocco Baldelli, but hitting coach David Popkins was let go, as was Falvey’s right-hand man since arriving in Minnesota, general manager Thad Levine.

David Popkins a key to Toronto Blue Jays success

Popkins quickly found work as the Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach. Under the Twins’ former assistant, Toronto finished with the BEST batting average in the majors (.265) this season. They also rank 2nd in offensive fWAR, 3rd in OPS, 5th in OPS+, 3rd most RBI (771). The Jays have also struck out less than any other team in the league.

Without a doubt, Popkins helped the Blue Jays completely transform their offensive production. And in a rarely seen type of moment for an assistant coach, fans in Toronto had some extra love for Popkins when his name was announced during pregame introductions prior for game one of the ALCS on Sunday.

Minnesota initially hired David Popkins in 2021, after they fired James Rowson, who moved on and became the hitting coach for the New York Yankees, one of the best lineups in baseball since he got the job. Two seasons later, Popkings was fired just like his predecessor… and success uncoincidentally followed him too.

Not only did he escape the Pohlads, but he was paid a go-away package that got him out of an organization that seemingly makes everyone worse at their job. And guess what, Popkins’ dismissal — and the success he’s brought to his new organization — has already proven to be more of the same.

Blue Jays players credit Popkins for their success

Where Falvey has decided to point the finger at Popkins for the failures of his roster construction, and player performance, the Toronto Blue Jays credit their new coach. Back in the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016, they see his impact.

As MLB.com’s Mike Petriello laid out, the difference for Toronto hitters this season is intent. They have made contact before, but Popkins urged them to change the quality of that contact.

Popkins said his plan was to, “let them swing and swing with intent, work through the middle of the field and whatever happens after that, happens.” That’s the goal, and that’s what you can control.

There is a difference between making contact for the sake of doing so. Willians Astudillo or Mickey Gasper are poor examples of it, while Luis Arraez is the best-case scenario. Toronto hitters just do not give up on an at-bat, under Popkins.

They grind out at-bats, but don’t forfeit all of their power. All I know is that the Minnesota Twins sure could have used an elite hitting coach like David Popkins. Too bad we can’t have nice things, huh?

After Derek Falvey fired Popkins and GM Thad Levine, the Pohlads gave their front office leader a promotion. He paid them back by constructing another loser in 2025.

That lead to the deadline teardown and firing of manager Rocco Baldelli. Would anybody be shocked if Rocco lands elsewhere and immediately finds success? No… no it would not.

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