Blue Jays Place George Springer on IL with Knee Sprain

The Blue Jays will once again be without outfielder George Springer.

After crashing into the outfield wall over the weekend, Springer was recovering from an initially diagnosed left ankle sprain, but pain in his knee caused the team to send the outfielder for an MRI.

The tests revealed another sprain, in his left knee, and manager Charlie Montoyo could not provide a timeline for recovery. Springer was placed on the 10-day IL, and will see additional doctors prior to Tuesday's game, Montoyo said.

"I wish I did," Montoyo said, when asked if he had a timeline. "But I don't, I don't even want to speculate."

Springer missed 48 of Toronto's first 115 games in 2021 due to oblique and leg injuries. When healthy, Springer has been one of Toronto's best hitters, winning back-to-back AL Player of the Week honors, but the club will once again be without their leadoff man.

"It's been hectic, it’s been crazy," Springer said about his season last week, "It didn't really start the way I wanted it to start, obviously getting hurt, but at this point it's about staying in the moment, staying present."

Toronto will activate infielder/outfielder Otto Lopez with the Springer IL. The 22-year-old No. 8 prospect has played 80 games across double- and triple-A this season, hitting .324 with a .398 on-base percentage across both levels. He's played all across the diamond defensively, lining up at shortstop, second, center, left, and right. He's primarily played at second base (45 starts) but began playing centerfield more (18 starts) in recent weeks.

Montoyo said Randal Grichuk will be the primary centerfielder for now, but Lopez could factor in at both infield and outfield positions.

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