Per projections, the Twins had a greater than 90% chance to win the American League Central in Aug. 2024 after winning their first postseason series in 21 years the season prior. However, Minnesota shockingly collapsed and missed the playoffs. As a response, the Twins fired hitting coach David Popkins after three seasons with the organization.
The Blue Jays then hired Popkins to be their hitting coach. With the help of Popkins, the Blue Jays led MLB in batting average (.265) and on-base percentage (.333) during the 2025 regular season. They also had the fewest strikeouts in the league. Toronto then defeated the New York Yankees in the ALDS and the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS to win the AL pennant. Although the Blue Jays ultimately fell short of the ultimate goal, they managed to take a star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers team to World Series Game 7.
Because of Popkins' impact on the Blue Jays' successful season, Baseball America named him the 2025 Coach of the Year.
Blue Jays' David Popkins' recent honor proves Twins made mistake letting him go
While the Blue Jays led Major League Baseball in batting average (.265) and on-base percentage (.333) and ranked fourth in wRC+ (112) during the 2025 campaign, the Twins finished the season ranked 22nd in batting average (.238), 21st in on-base percentage (.310) and 22nd in wRC+ (99). In 2024, the Twins ranked 13th in batting average (.246), 12th in on-base percentage (.315) and ninth in wRC+ (105).
While hitting coaches likely have minimal impact on game results, one has to wonder why the Twins fired Popkins if the best team in the American League immediately hired him after he got cut loose. As they did with Rocco Baldelli recently, the Twins needed to scapegoat someone after the disappointing 2024 season. Getting rid of Popkins was one way for the front office to demonstrate to fans that change was on the horizon.
However, change was not on the horizon, at least not good change. The Twins signed a few solid free agents (Harrison Bader, Danny Coulombe and Ty France) on affordable deals last offseason, but the bottom line is the team didn't make any significant signings or trades. Before it was dismantled at the trade deadline, the Twins' 2025 roster was pretty much the same as the previous year. Firing Popkins wasn't going to significantly improve the offense; it ended up being even worse. Bigger moves needed to be made.