George Springer’s resurgence a microcosm of Blue Jays’ surprising success

Springer’s OPS dropped from .814 in 2022 to .732 in 2023, before bottoming out to .674, the lowest mark of his career last season. There were concerns about Springer’s approach and his bat speed, with many wondering if he’d last the entire 2025 campaign as an everyday player. Those concerns intensified during spring training, when Springer slumped to the tune of a .108/.298/.216 slash line with two extra-base hits in 37 at-bats.

Despite those struggles, something seemed to change in Springer once the games started to count. He came out of the gate strong, posting an .888 OPS with nine extra-base hits and 12 RBIs in the first month of the season. He’s been as consistent as any hitter in the game, posting a sub-.800 OPS in only one month (.746 OPS in June) this year.

It’s hard to understate how rare it is for a hitter in his mid-30s to reverse two years of precipitous decline, to put together what’s shaping up to be Springer’s best season in at least four years. Having Springer produce at such a high level has enabled the Blue Jays to withstand a disastrous first season for Anthony Santander and a less-than-stellar offensive performance from franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to sit atop the American League East.

One focal point in trying to decipher Springer’s success is his improved and increased bat speed. He’s added over one mile per hour of bat speed from 2024, sitting in the 69th percentile this season, after finishing in the 52nd percentile a season ago. That may not seem like a significant difference. However, that incremental improvement has allowed Springer to be quicker to the baseball, leading to a .335 batting average and .563 slugging percentage against fastballs. He hit just .241 with a .387 slugging percentage against fastballs in 2024. When Springer gets a mistake pitch or a fastball that catches too much of the plate, he’s not missing it.

Another eye-opening development has been Springer’s increased patience and improved eye at the plate. He’s currently sporting a 12.7% walk rate, which would be the highest of his 12-year career. That elite pitch recognition, combined with not making any mistakes, has allowed Springer to put a good swing on the ball more often than not.

Ahead of the season, first-year hitting coach David Popkins said, “I love damage,” when talking about what type of offensive identity he was looking to establish for the Blue Jays in 2025.

It’s hard to identify one player on the roster who’s embodied that line of thinking more than George Springer.