The Toronto Blue Jays finished off a 2-1 series win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, and with that, the team have now officially won seven straight series, putting them firmly in contention for an American League Wild Card spot in 2026.
Despite their recent improvements, the team are still sitting at 63-66 on the season, and if they are to be taken seriously as genuine threats in the AL, they’ll need to keep on stacking these wins in the coming weeks. Their path doesn’t get any easier however as they begin a weekend series with the rival New York Yankees on Friday, and with the announcement of the lineup, a surprise decision was made on veteran slugger George Springer.
George Springer Left out of the Blue Jays Lineup
GettyGeorge Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays.
In recent times, the Blue Jays have been shuffling their lineup around, and while they’ll need one that’s set in stone when the post-season arrives, as of right now, they continue to tinker with things to find the right balance.
That’s included leaving some key players out of the lineup in recent times, and ahead of the series opener with New York on Friday, the team have done just that with George Springer, as he’ll be getting the day off from his usual Designated Hitter role.
B. Bateman CF N. Lukes RF A. Kirk C J. Sánchez DH E. Clement SS K. Okamoto 3B B. Valenzuela 1B C. McAdoo 2B M. Straw LF
M. Fluharty SP
While Springer struggled immensely both at the plate and with injuries early in the season, he’s managed to find his form again in recent times, as he’s now hitting .235 with a .703 OPS on the season, and while it’s not what he once was, Springer continues to contribute as he ages. In 97 games, Springer now has 12 big flies and 40 RBI, but after going 5/10 in their recent series with the Tampa Bay Rays, he’s clearly finding his stride again.
However, he, like many hitters this year struggled against Cam Schlittler last time out, so giving him the day off in hopes he’ll be close to 100% at seasons end approaching the post-season isn’t a bad move for the Blue Jays.
Can Toronto Continue Momentum Against the Rival Yankees?
After playing earlier in the week, the Yankees vs. Blue Jays rivalry now shifts back to the Bronx, and while Toronto have the momentum, this Yankees team, especially their pitching staff is one of the best in baseball, and any time they have the chance to show that against a key rival, they’ll be hoping to step up and do just that.
As for Springer, it’s a matter of when, not if he gets back into the lineup against the Yankees in this series, and given how important this will be to the Blue Jays hopes of making a Wild Card push down the stretch, manager John Schneider will continue to make what he believes will be the best move for this team in the moment, even if it includes leaving out a key veteran.
Blue Jays Make George Springer Decision Ahead of Critical Yankees Series