In the Hitting Lab with David Popkins + Kevin Pillar!

In the Hitting Lab with David Popkins + Kevin Pillar!

From Blair & Barker by Sportsnet

May 5, 2026 · 50 min

About this episode

David Popkins and Kevin Pillar discuss the Toronto Blue Jays' performance and team dynamics.

David Popkins, Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach, joins Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker to chat about the state of the team. David discusses his work to get the team's offence in sync, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s lack of power, the impact of Kazuma Okamoto's change in approach, Daulton Varsho and Jesús Sánchez' performance at the plate, utilizing the Automated Ball-Strike system, and George Springer's status. Later, Kevin Pillar (27:45), former Blue Jay and Sportsnet analyst, stops by the studio to share his view on Vladdy's start to the season, the current vibe in the clubhouse, the Jays' approach at the plate, and much more! The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

People in this episode

Hosts: Jeff Blair, Kevin Barker

Guests: David Popkins, Kevin Pillar

Topics covered

  • hitting coach
  • Toronto Blue Jays
  • baseball performance
  • team dynamics
  • player analysis

Keywords

  • hitting coach
  • Toronto Blue Jays
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • Kevin Pillar
  • baseball analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Toronto Blue Jays

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