Toronto Blue Jays: What’s led to Kevin Pillar’s dramatic turnaround?
By Jasmine Yen
Kevin Pillar is one of the hottest players in baseball, but how did the Toronto Blue Jays’ outfielder manage to turn things around so quickly?
Kevin Pillar is known for many things but until this season, hitting was not one of them. In 32 games with the Toronto Blue Jays, he now has 39 hits, four home runs, 13 doubles, and a slash line of .322/.373/.562.
Pillar is in the top 10 among American League hitters in most batting categories, while leading the Blue Jays in hits and stolen bases (six), including a home plate steal.
Baseball is very much a statistically-driven sport. Playing 162 regular season games allows all the luck to be filtered out and lets the best teams truly shine. Pillar may be experiencing some luck, but it is mostly from his own doing.
In the offseason, Pillar was really impressed with how Justin Smoak turned his hitting around. Smoak used to strike out a ton, because he was swinging for the fences and his swing was too long.
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He came back with a shorter swing and a change in mentality. Instead of swinging for a homer every time, he would prioritize hard contact.
Smoak remained aggressive, but had a more concentrated plan every time he stepped into the batter’s box.
Pillar decided to try this new technique. Being overly aggressive and swinging for the fences was always his approach at the plate.
The result was a ton of strikeouts and a lucky home run every once in a while. Now, he’s cut his swing down and is concentrating on making hard contact with good pitches.
"“I’m really focused on getting good pitches to hit and if they don’t show up, then I don’t swing.” Pillar told Sportsnet‘s Ben Nicholson-Smith."
While his pitch luck might fade, Pillar’s new approach at the plate guarantees his numbers are no fluke.
Constant hits combined with his speed on the bases is the perfect recipe for the Blue Jays’ success. For years, they were this big slugging team that never ran around the bases.
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This season, they have so many new players who are quick and can keep the inning going. The new Pillar has fit right in and has proven to everybody there is always room for improvement.