The Toronto Blue Jays are heading into Monday's game against the Boston Red Sox looking to continue making progress in the American League wild card race.
Toronto enters the day seven games under .500 but in a weak American League they sit just 3.5 games back of the final spot.
They will need all hands on deck if they want to turn their season around, and that includes designated hitter George Springer. It has been an underwhelming season for Springer, just one year removed from a seventh-place finish in AL MVP voting.
Across 333 at-bats he has posted a .234 batting average, .317 on-base percentage, .714 OPS, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs.
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Springer has missed the last two games for the Blue Jays while dealing with left shoulder soreness.
Toronto split those two games over the weekend against the Philadelphia Phillies with Jesus Sanchez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. handling duties as the designated hitter in his absence.
However, they will no longer need either player to step in as Springer has recovered well enough to return to the starting nine.
The Blue Jays decided ahead of Monday's series opener at home against Boston that Springer will make his return at designated hitter and hit fourth in manager John Schneider's batting order.
The Blue Jays will look to get back in the win column, but it will be no easy task against the Red Sox, who have been one of the league's best teams in the second half.
