TORONTO — During his second stint with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, Addison Barger made a series of adjustments at the plate, widening his stance and toning down his trademark leg kick. The idea was that a more stable base would put him in a better position to track pitches longer and make better decisions, and it made some sense. But fighting his body’s natural movements was uncomfortable and produced middling results, which is why Barger, “was like, say less, I can do that,” when new hitting coach David Popkins, after studying his entire career, suggested he go back to his old swing.
“He’s always been very dynamic and athletic. He’s always had a big attacking, forward move. Violent swings. And he just wasn’t a guy that needed to control or shrink his moves,” Popkins explained. “He had a lot of success … so just getting him back to feeling like he’s always been. He’s a meathead. He likes to lift weights. He likes to crush energy drinks and swing hard. It allows him to be himself.”
Barger certainly seems to be finding the best version of himself since his recall from triple-A Buffalo on April 15, getting pushed up to the three-hole Wednesday night in the Blue Jays’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. He entered the game with hits in six straight games and home runs in four consecutive outings, but went 0-for-4 before Alejandro Kirk’s walk-off single in the ninth off former teammate Jordan Romano brought home Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the winning run.
The victory was the sixth in seven games for the Blue Jays (32-29), who got six innings of one-run ball from Jose Berrios. His only blemish was a Nick Castellanos solo shot in the second inning, although he critically worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth by getting Bryson Stott on a popper to third and Trea Turner on a fly ball to right.
Bo Bichette’s RBI triple in the sixth scored Andres Gimenez to tie the game 1-1.
 .jpg.webp?itok=wtDUKDBs)
Bengali (Bangladesh) · 
English (United States) ·