Taking the Extra Base Brought the Blue Jays to the Brink of a World Championship

[Sam Charles]

So much of the offseason so far has been spent discussing the Blue Jays' inability to score Isiah Kiner-Falefa from third in the bottom of the ninth of Game 7, but even getting to that point (a run away from winning the championship) was a result of one particular stat. Not ERA or OPS, but extra bases taken. While the team’s average sprint speed was slower than in 2023 and 2024, the 2025 club managed to be among the league’s best at taking extra bases.

The 2025 Jays’ year signaled a profound transformation, one rooted not just in long balls or frontline pitching, but in a subtler, cumulative advantage: aggressively taking extra bases. From going first to third on singles to scoring from first on doubles, the Jays relentlessly converted contact into pressure and pressure into runs. This was a shift from years where the focus was solely on hitting home runs.

The narrative was further sharpened by Kevin Kiermaier’s behind-the-scenes role as a special assistant. During his two seasons with the Jays, he never seemed to lose his hustle. A self-described “outfield whisperer,” Kiermaier helped embed defensive precision and baserunning awareness across the organization. The result was an offense that attacked in layers, and a culture that made every ninety feet matter.

The 2025 Blue Jays’ bats were relentless, arguably led by George Springer’s .309/.399/.560 line, complemented by 60 extra-base hits (XBH). Bo Bichette hit .311 and led the club with 63 XBH, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added 57 XBH with a .292/.381/.467. Those three gave the Jays a high ceiling night after night, but what differentiated this group from prior versions was how consistently their contact turned into immediate pressure on opposing defenses.

This identity didn’t emerge from nowhere. It followed the 2024 season, in which Toronto’s baserunning was a liability. They ranked second-worst in baseball across 2023-24 according to FanGraphs’ baserunning runs (BsR) at -23. The 2025 season marked a notable improvement. Yet, these Jays weren’t known for swiping bases via steals; rather, they were forcing defenses to respond to them taking third from first and home from second.

Toronto’s turnaround was both philosophical and opportunistic. Their collective emphasis on stretching bases mattered most in tight games and the high-leverage moments of October.

The 2025 team was intent on converting inches into runs. They struck a balance between patience and pressure, pushing the envelope without running into reckless outs. This created a compounding effect: more throws, more relays, more chances for misplays.

As their offense found its groove, analysts consistently credited the all-around offensive production to situational execution.

If you look solely at the numbers, the Jays were actually led by Bichette’s 63 extra-base hits, followed by Springer’s 60 and Daulton Varsho’s 35 in just 71 games.

Clutch moments usually don’t happen by accident. The Jays were clutch, but it helped that they often had opportunities to be clutch.

Ernie Clement’s contact proficiency, Addison Barger’s late-game pop, and Bichette’s high-leverage swings cashed in runs all season long. A focus on contributions up and down the lineup helped gel the team and became a weapon unto itself.  

This was especially important after Anthony Santander didn’t come as advertised. In 54 games, Santander hit .175/.271/.294. Paltry results compared to his career average numbers. It was a systematic approach to generating runs that held together the offense’s run-scoring capacity. It didn’t require crazy launch angles, just better reads, jumps, and risks aligned with context, and it translated directly into run expectancy upticks across innings and games.

Milliseconds are usually the difference between an extra base or an extra out, a run scored versus a rally stalled. In a pennant race decided by tiny margins, and a World Series decided by inches, those inches and feet were the Blue Jays’ currency.

Acquiring extra bases meant putting runners in scoring position with fewer than two outs, fewer double plays and more pressure on opponents.

To sustain and elevate this identity in 2026, the front office needs to seek more athletic, high-IQ players whose OBP, speed, and defensive range create opportunities and deny them to opponents. The goal is balance, not simply chasing another big slugger.

At the top of the lineup, the Jays need to have hitters with high walk rates, fast sprint speed, and great first-step reads that keep pressure constant. Pairing such profiles with Springer’s savvy and Bichette’s gap contact (presuming Bichette returns), for example, would play well with first-to-third baseball. 

Bench speed and utility versatility are crucial, especially in the postseason. The Jays were able to shore up their defence late in games while increasing speed on the basepaths through players like Nathan Lukes, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Myles Straw and Joey Loperfido.

A team needs to build and foster a culture that embraces speed and plate discipline. It isn’t easy, but the Jays proved in 2025 that it can be done.

Adding one Dylan Cease is precisely what the Jays needed for success in 2026. He limits free passes, reduces defensive exposure and keeps games in run-manufacturing range.

An offense designed to take extra bases thrives in tight, mid-scoring games. Good pitching and defence avoids blowouts by removing walk clusters. What we saw from arms like Shane Bieber and Eric Lauer hints at the value of command-first starters to keep the base-stealing and advancement machine relevant every night.

Critically, “extra bases taken” isn’t a fad. It’s the scalable core of modern run creation.

Pitching keeps evolving. Velocity and spin aren’t retreating. As a consequence, all-contact offenses without advancement plateau.

Likewise, all-slug constructions tend to boom-and-bust in October. Toronto’s 2025 blend of elastic scoring through advancement, power when present, and defense that denies the same edge proved resilient across the season and postseason regardless of opponent.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that mentors like Kiermaier might not be around to preach this message. Recently, he posted a not-so-cryptic message on social media that he's seeking a new role.

The 2025 Jays showcased a modern blueprint for winning baseball: Make every ninety feet count. Their ability to take extra bases multiplied the impact of an offense already rich with stars, turned innings into pressure cookers and provided stability on nights when home runs were hard to find.

If the Jays continue to prioritize high OBPs, speed (on the bases and on defense), bench utility, culture, and command-first pitching in 2026, they’ll preserve the manufacturing engine that took them to the brink of a title. The World Series margin was razor-thin, so the Jays’ next step is to keep stretching singles into doubles and doubles into runs, while taking every available inch until the final inch flips the last game their way.

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