George Springer Scratched From Blue Jays Lineup with Shoulder Tightness
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The Toronto Blue Jays removed George Springer from Saturday’s starting lineup against the Philadelphia Phillies because of left shoulder tightness, forcing a late adjustment before the second game of the series.
Springer had originally been scheduled to bat fourth as Toronto’s designated hitter. Jesús Sánchez will put his fielding glove away and move from left field to DH, while Myles Straw enters the lineup in left. The Blue Jays did not provide any additional information on the severity of Springer’s discomfort in their announcement.
Springer's production has been on the uptick as of late. The 36-year-old is hitting .234/.317/.396 with 12 home runs this season, but has batted .281/.369/.456 with two homers and 10 RBI over his last 15 games. He also reached twice Friday, recording a single, walk and stolen base in Toronto’s 5-4 win over Philadelphia.
Bateman Moves Up as Guerrero Returns
The lineup change does not alter one of Saturday’s biggest decisions: Brett Bateman will hit second in only his second Major League game.
Bateman made a strong first impression Friday after being called up earlier in the day. The 24-year-old doubled for his first Major League hit and drew two walks, reaching base three times in his debut. Rather than easing him into the bottom of the order, manager John Schneider will immediately give the contact-oriented center fielder an opportunity between Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who returns to the lineup after missing the past few days with hamstring discomfort.
That placement gives Bateman a chance to turn his strongest skills into instant offense. His speed and ability to reach base could create scoring opportunities for Guerrero and Sánchez if his approach continues translating against Major League pitching.
Toronto also enters Saturday with several hitters coming off encouraging performances. Josh Smith went 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored Friday, while Andrés Giménez also went deep. Giménez has quietly been one of Toronto’s hotter hitters as of late, batting .325 across his last 15 games.
Nathan Lukes, who will lead off Saturday, also went 2-for-5 Friday with an RBI, giving Toronto another recent positive at the top of the order.
Springer’s absence forces Toronto to adjust, but the lineup still gets a boost with Guerrero returning and Bateman receiving another opportunity to make an impression, this time from the No. 2 spot instead of being buried near the bottom of the lineup.
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Wesley Dixon is a sports writer focused on thoughtful analysis, roster-building angles, player development and feature-style storytelling. He has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, with work centered on breaking down team direction, player fit and the larger stories behind the game. Wesley is a lifelong MLB fan, following multiple teams throughout the league. He is excited to bring that same detail-oriented approach to On SI.