Isiah

Kiner-Falefa

Springer was able to run in the outfield and hit off a velocity machine, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider has insinuated that Springer will be available off the bench. The 36-year-old will sit with Bo Bichette the designated hitter, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base. Nathan Lukes will also sit against southpaw Blake Snell with Davis Schneider leading off in left field. The full lineup for Toronto: Davis Schneider LF, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B, Bo Bichette DH, Alejandro Kirk C, Daulton Varsho CF, Ernie Clement 3B, Addison Barger RF Kiner-Falefa 2B, and Andrés Giménez at SS.

Springer wasn’t able to swing well enough before the game to return to the lineup after leaving Game 3 with right side discomfort. The 36-year-old veteran could be available off the bench to pinch-hit in a key spot, based on the tone of Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s pregame comments, though that’s far from a certainty. Nathan Lukes has been moved up to the leadoff spot in his absence with Bo Bichette taking over at DH and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base as Toronto faces Dodger superstar Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Here’s the full lineup: Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Bichette (DH), Addison Barger (RF), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Andrés Giménez (SS) and Kiner-Falefa (2B).

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is at second base with Bichette on the bench to open Saturday’s showdown at the Rogers Centre. The 27-year-old impending free agent made his first-ever appearance at the keystone during the Fall Classic opener and went 1-for-2 with a walk in his first game action since September 6. It doesn’t come as a total surprise that the Blue Jays are going to be extremely cautious with his workload considering the nature of the right knee injury he’s working his way back from. The other notable change for Toronto is Addison Barger entering the lineup after slugging a pinch-hit grand slam during Friday’s series-opening victory. Here’s the full lineup: George Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Barger (RF), Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Springer went 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot during Sunday’s win-or-go-home Game 6 showdown after making an early exit from Game 5 on Friday night with a knee contusion. Toronto has a chance to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic to face the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Here’s the full lineup: Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Addison Barger (RF), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

The Jays will stick with exactly what worked for them in Game 4, running back the same lineup that had tremendous success against the Mariners on Thursday. Once again, here’s the full lineup as the Jays’ will battle against Mariners’ right-hander Bryce Miller on Friday night in Seattle: George Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Addison Barger (RF), Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Santander, who went 0-for-2 with a walk during Wednesday’s Game 3 rout in Seattle, continues to deal with a lingering back issue, according to Blue Jays manager John Schneider. The switch-hitting 30-year-old slugger takes a seat with Addison Barger getting the nod in right field and Isiah Kiner-Falefa drawing into the lineup at second base for the first time in the series. Here’s the full lineup: George Springer (DH), Nathan Lukes (LF), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Barger (RF), Kiner-Falefa (2B) and Andrés Giménez (SS).

Schneider gets an opportunity near the top of Toronto’s lineup with lefty Max Fried on the mound for New York. The versatile 26-year-old was left on the bench for Game 1 in favor of veteran Anthony Santander, who is out of the lineup entirely to open this one, with righty Luis Gil toeing the rubber. He figures to continue splitting time with Santander for the remainder of the postseason. Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes are also on the bench to open this one. Here’s the full lineup: George Springer (DH), Schneider (LF), Guerrero Jr. (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Daulton Varsho (CF), Ernie Clement (3B), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B), Andrés Giménez (SS) and Myles Straw (RF).

This will be the first time that Giménez has started a game at shortstop since 2002. With Bo Bichette out of action with his knee injury, the Blue Jays will give the 27-year-old a chance to show what he can do on the other side of the bag. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will get the start at second base and Ernie Clement will handle third with Addison Barger out of the lineup Friday against Baltimore.

The Jays entered the ninth inning trailing 3-1. They loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a single, setting the stage for Kiner-Falefa’s heroics. He smacked a 1-1 single into left field, plating a pair of runs to tie the game and force extra innings. The 30-year-old infielder finished the night 1-for-2 and is now hitting .264/.300/.332 with one homer, 39 RBI and 15 stolen bases on the season.

Schneider added that Bichette underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed the sprain after experiencing leg soreness over the weekend. It sounds like he’s going to wind up missing a significant portion, if not all, of the remaining two-plus weeks of the regular season. It’ll be Ernie Clement taking over as Toronto’s primary shortstop with recently added veteran Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting opportunities as well.