George Springer was back where Toronto needed him on Thursday afternoon, and that alone mattered. After missing a handful of games over the last two weeks with what appears to be a lingering shoulder injury, the veteran was restored to the Blue Jays' starting lineup for the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays and was used as the designated hitter. In a race this tight, even a lineup card can feel like a statement.
The Blue Jays did not exactly get the luxury of easing into the decision, either. Springer had been absent from Wednesday night's starting lineup against the Rays before making one pinch-hitting appearance, so his return the next day was a welcome development for a club trying to keep itself afloat in the American League Wild Card chase. Toronto entered Thursday's game 1.0 game out of a Wild Card spot, which is to say the margin for error is already far too small for any team carrying one of its most important bats on the injury watch list.
A timely return, even if it comes with caution
Springer is in his 13th MLB season and his sixth with the Toronto Blue Jays, so this is not a player the club can simply replace with a shrug and a next-man-up speech. When he is in the lineup, he changes the shape of it. When he is missing, the ripple effect is obvious. On Thursday, John Schneider slotted him in as the DH and batted him cleanup, a clear sign that Toronto wanted his bat in the middle of the order without asking him to cover more ground than necessary.
The move also made practical sense given the schedule. Toronto was finishing a three-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon before heading straight into a three-game road series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx on Friday. That is a difficult stretch even when everyone is healthy. With Springer returning after a shoulder issue, the Blue Jays were at least able to line up their offense with a little more credibility.
Still, there is no reason to pretend this solves everything. Springer’s production this season has been useful but not overwhelming: 96 games, 356 at-bats, 45 runs, 83 hits, 12 home runs, 38 RBIs, a.233 batting average, a.388 slugging percentage and a.702 OPS. Those are respectable numbers, but they also underline why Toronto needs him at his best rather than merely available. The Blue Jays do not have the luxury of carrying passengers in a race this close.
So yes, George Springer being back in the starting lineup matters. It matters because Toronto needs quality at-bats, because the shoulder issue has already interrupted his rhythm, and because the Blue Jays are staring down a crucial run of games with the Wild Card picture still undecided. In August, that is not a minor lineup update. That is the sort of move that can decide whether a club stays in the hunt or starts running out of time.
