{"id":103518,"date":"2025-07-06T22:34:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T02:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=103518"},"modified":"2025-07-06T22:34:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T02:34:42","slug":"blue-jays-addison-barger-breaking-out-utility-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/07\/06\/blue-jays-addison-barger-breaking-out-utility-player\/","title":{"rendered":"Addison Barger Making Huge Impact as Utility Player for Blue Jays"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One big reason behind the Toronto Blue Jays&#8217; surge to the top of the American League East has been the breakout of Addison Barger. Barger has turned into an everyday player with his contributions at the plate. He has been playing with a lot of confidence and on Saturday provided the Blue Jays with a big walk-off hit in a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_103566\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-103566\" style=\"width: 505px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-103566\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"505\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-1536x1098.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26493067_168400885_lowres-2048x1463.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 505px) 100vw, 505px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-103566\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger (47) runs to home plate to score a run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Blue Jays snagged two walk-off victories against the Angels in back-to-back games and are riding an eight-game winning streak. He is excelling as an everyday player through his utility role. Barger has been utilized in right field and at third base. While the Blue Jays don&#8217;t have a Gold Glove third baseman or right fielder, Barger has played both positions well, and this is a key difference between the recent fortunes of Toronto and the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays&#8217; pitching has also <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/06\/30\/blue-jays-rotation-showcasing-stabilization\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">stabilized<\/a>, while the pitching collapse of the Yankees hasn&#8217;t been pretty, and their recent six-game losing streak has allowed the Blue Jays to steal first place in the AL East.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Addison Barger walks it off for YOUR FIRST PLACE <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BlueJays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@BlueJays<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>That makes it 7 wins in a row! <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/L5h6h2knYN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/L5h6h2knYN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 MLB (@MLB) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MLB\/status\/1941624705594560975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Addison Barger&#8217;s Success Helps Drive Blue Jays into First Place<\/h2>\n<h3>Barger&#8217;s Recipe for Success<\/h3>\n<p>But what&#8217;s the secret to Barger&#8217;s success this season? The 26-year-old has returned to his natural swing, boosted his confidence, and has a more controlled approach at the plate. His technical adjustments, followed by a strong work ethic, have made him an enjoyable player to watch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"WaaZC\">\n<div class=\"RJPOee EIJn2\">\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<h4 class=\"Gur8Ad\"><span data-huuid=\"732093656440257099\"><strong>Return to Natural Swing<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\">\n<p><span data-huuid=\"732093656440255210\">Barger&#8217;s struggles last season were partially linked to the Blue Jays trying to change his swing. <\/span><span data-huuid=\"732093656440257417\">This season, he&#8217;s returned to his natural swing, and he&#8217;s blossoming as a hitter.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<h4 class=\"Gur8Ad\"><span data-huuid=\"732093656440257735\"><strong>Increased Confidence<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\">\n<p><span data-huuid=\"732093656440255846\">Barger&#8217;s confidence at the plate and on the field has been apparent. This is evident in his aggressive but controlled approach at the plate.<span class=\"pjBG2e\" data-cid=\"0ffa25ee-9d52-40f1-887f-b254e275e14a\"><span class=\"UV3uM\"> His hard-hit rate of 54.3 % ranks in the 95th percentile, per <a  href=\"https:\/\/baseballsavant.mlb.com\/savant-player\/addison-barger-680718?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Baseball Savant<\/a>. In addition, his solid bat speed of 75.8 mph, also ranking in the 95th percentile, has been helpful.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\">\n<p><span data-huuid=\"732093656440258371\">Barger comes to the plate looking to crush balls. But recently, he has taken a more selective approach. He uses more precision at the plate with pitch selection, which has led to better results.<span class=\"pjBG2e\" data-cid=\"75e25a69-0adc-4431-9fa6-4f8a14ad49b6\"><span class=\"UV3uM\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<h4 class=\"Gur8Ad\"><span data-huuid=\"732093656440254593\"><strong>Technical Adjustments<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\">\n<p><span class=\"yoast-text-mark\" data-hu=\"\">Hitting coach David Popkins has worked with several Blue Jays players this season, and the theme seems to be helping players succeed by returning to their previously successful approaches. He&#8217;s worked with Barger on some technical aspects, such as changing his stance and increasing his forward movement, which has allowed him to do more damage with the ball.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<h4 class=\"Gur8Ad\"><span data-huuid=\"732093656440255547\"><strong>Improved Decision Making<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span class=\"yoast-text-mark\" data-huuid=\"732093656440257754\">Barger is now making smarter decisions at the plate, illustrating his ability to lay off<\/span> pitches that are outside the strike zone and maximize on hittable pitches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<h4 class=\"Gur8Ad\"><span data-huuid=\"732093656440258072\"><strong>Consistent Performance<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\">\n<p><span data-huuid=\"732093656440256183\">In his last seven games, Barger has hit .346 with three home runs, a stolen base, and 10 RBI. His .840 OPS has also been impressive with 11 home runs on the season, which ranks third on the team. He also has 31 extra-base hits on the season and is on track to put up career-best numbers for a single season. His arm strength defensively (97.8) ranks in the 100th percentile.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"NPrrbc\" data-cid=\"1f6d7934-8b6a-42a0-a167-f816f5f5f7ba\" data-uuids=\"732093656440258072,732093656440256183\">\n<div class=\"BMebGe btku5b fCrZyc LwdV0e FR7ZSc OJeuxf\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"View related links\" data-hveid=\"CCAQAQ\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjDvemU3qiOAxVCrYkEHbXjACoQ3fYKegQIIBAB\">\n<div class=\"niO4u\">\n<div class=\"kHtcsd\"><strong>Versatility<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zMgcWd dSKvsb\" data-il=\"\">\n<div data-crb-p=\"\">\n<div class=\"xFTqob\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"vM0jzc\"><span class=\"yoast-text-mark\" data-huuid=\"732093656440254612\">Barger&#8217;s ability to play multiple positions as a utility player, including third base and the outfield, makes him a valuable asset to the team, which has also provided him with more playing time.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: \u00a9 John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One big reason behind the Toronto Blue Jays&#8217; surge to the top of the American League East has been the breakout of Addison Barger. Barger has turned into an everyday player with his contributions at the plate. He has been playing with a lot of confidence and on Saturday provided the Blue Jays with a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4831,"featured_media":103568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1071,35],"tags":[28344],"class_list":["post-103518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bluejays","category-mlb","category-news","tag-addison-barger"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4831"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103518"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103518\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":103571,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103518\/revisions\/103571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}