The Toronto Blue Jays' duo of first basemanVladimir Guerrero Jr. and designated hitter George Springer have simply not lived up to expectations this year. Guerrero has posted a .265 batting average, .348 on-base percentage, .710 OPS, six home runs and 41 RBIs while battling lower back pain.
Springer has also dealt with injuries, fracturing his left big toe in April, but even when on the field he too has taken a step backwards offensively after last year's seventh-place finish in AL MVP voting.
The underperformance of both players is a big reason why Toronto currently sits on the outside looking in of the American League playoff race.
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Still, there is plenty of time to turn it around, and both players will have a chance to reset during this year's All-Star break.
Ahead of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres, Toronto entered the day looking to capture a win and build some positive momentum heading into the second half.
However, they will have to do it without Springer, who was removed from the lineup for an extra day off, something the team has routinely done on Sundays to keep him fresh.
As a result, the Blue Jays decided to use the designated hitter spot to also give Guerrero a day off his feet so he can focus solely on hitting.
Rookie first baseman Sean Keys slotted into first base in his place, giving the organization a chance to get their young prospect more at-bats in the lineup.
With the All-Star break now just one day away, getting both Guerrero and Springer as rested and healthy as possible heading into the second half could prove to be one of the more important factors in whether Toronto can make a meaningful push for October baseball.
