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Blue Jays: Unpacking the changes Jesús Sánchez has made at the plate
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Photo credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Apr 20, 2026, 19:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 20, 2026, 17:50 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays had a pretty good idea of what they were getting when they acquired Jesús Sánchez from the Houston Astros in exchange for Joey Loperfido a few weeks before the 2026 season began.
Awesome raw power, tons of strikeouts, and extreme platoon splits—all parts of the Sánchez experience across his first few professional seasons. 
Yet they have gotten a much different version of Sánchez so far this season. He’s posted solid numbers, yet the manner in which he’s achieved them is dramatically different. 
The 28-year-old outfielder is slashing .261/.315/.400 through his first 20 games as a Blue Jay. He’s been one of the team’s most consistent hitters during a multi-week stretch in which countless big names have wound up on the shelf. Five of his hits have gone for extra bases, and he’s racked up 11 RBIs while scoring eight runs as a baserunner. 
Things get more interesting under the hood as Sánchez’s expected batting average of .326 ranks in the 97th percentile among all qualified hitters. His 16.4% K-rate, meanwhile, is much improved from the 22.1% clip he posted in 2025. 
What’s even more noteworthy is that Sánchez’s bat speed has dropped from an elite 75.9 mph last season to 71.6 mph. His fast-swing rate—the percentage of a batter’s swings reaching 75 mph—has fallen from 58.8% to just 30.6%.
This begs the question: has Sánchez turned into a contact hitter? 
Not exactly. His 112.3 mph max exit velocity and .510 expected slugging percentage suggest he still possesses the same raw power. His 47.3% hard-hit rate would also be the second-highest of his career if he maintained a full season. 
What Sánchez does seem to have developed, however, is an “A-swing” and a “B-swing” approach. He’s not swinging with all his might every time; he’s shortening up to battle more when he falls behind in the count. This has led him to hit the ball to the opposite field more than last year, and, better yet, on the ground less than ever before.
This development is consistent with the Blue Jays’ current hitting philosophy. A huge part of George Springer’s resurgence in 2025 was getting him to unleash his “A-swing” more often after growing somewhat timid at the plate. The team seems to have given Sánchez the opposite advice in hopes of helping him put the bat on the ball more consistently. 
Whether this proves to be a good adjustment for Sánchez and the Blue Jays will depend on whether his expected power production translates into real results. 
Sánchez’s job is to inject some pop into an otherwise contact-oriented lineup. They have lots of players who can hit singles, but very few who can hit baseballs as hard as him. They would probably prefer he strike out a bit more if it means more of his hits clear the fences. 
It will be fascinating to watch how things play out for Sánchez at the dish moving forward—and whether these adjustments raise or lower his ceiling. 

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