George

Springer

Springer is 12-for-34 with two homers, eight RBI and just two strikeouts in his last nine games. He’s batting cleanup right now, but since he’s heating up, the Jays could go back to him in the leadoff spot soon.

Springer singled to lead off the second inning, then highlighted a five-run third inning for the Blue Jays with a three-run blast off Sonny Gray. The 36-year-old outfielder is up to 11 homers, 35 runs scored, 30 RBI, and seven steals while hitting .229/.312/.396 across 327 plate appearances. Springer, with an expiring contract, could be a target for a competing team at the deadline.

Springer lined a hot smash to the right of shortstop Ben Williamson to knock in Yohendrick Piñango and put the Blue Jays up 2-1. He’d later add a double, but was stranded on the basepaths. Springer is hitting .237/.286/.407 over this last 15 games with two homers and is probably on the cut line in mixed leagues at this point, but perhaps this will get him going.

The Blue Jays have been careful to mix in off days for Springer in an effort to keep him healthy for the remainder of the season. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will serve as the club’s designated hitter in his absence while Sean Keys draws a start at first base and will bat sixth against White Sox’ right-hander Sean Burke on Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

Springer hit into a fielder’s choice in the third inning to drive in the Blue Jays’ first run of the game. In the fifth inning, he would homer off of White Sox reliever Trevor Richards for his 10th big fly of the season. It’s still hard to imagine that this is where we are a year after Springer slugged 32 homers and drove in 88 runs, but he remains a shell of the player we saw last season.

Springer missed six straight games over the past week and a half for unspecified reasons before returning to action on Wednesday. This appears to be just a routine day off. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will function as the team’s designated hitter on Sunday while Sean Keys draws a start at first base and will bat seventh against Padres’ right-hander German Marquez.

The Blue Jays continue to struggle offensively and they’re without Springer in the lineup for a sixth consecutive contest. The 36-year-old veteran was activated prior to Monday’s series opener, but remains stapled to Toronto’s bench. It’s a bit unclear why he’s not in the lineup at this juncture. Hopefully there is some clarity on his status at some point relatively soon. It’ll be rookie Sean Keys at DH on Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

Springer is out of the lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Giants in San Francisco, but he’s rejoined the club after taking a couple extra days to be with his family on paternity leave. The 36-year-old veteran hasn’t been able to come close to replicating last year’s remarkable 32-homer, 18-steal effort, slashing .221/.308/.373 with eight homers and six steals through 279 plate appearances over 63 games this season.

It’s merely a procedural move since Springer has exhausted the number of days he can spend on the paternity list. Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters the 36-year-old veteran will spend a few additional days away from the club on paternity leave before returning to Toronto but could return for Monday’s series opener against the Giants.

Congrats to George and his growing family. Springer had a hot stretch earlier in the month, but is hitting .239/.340/.398 in 23 games in June with three home runs, three steals and 13 RBI. He is not a player you have to move on from in shallower formats, but you might be able to find more production on the waiver wire in 10 and 12-team leagues.