Not all hope is lost for the Toronto Blue Jays heading into Sunday's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies. After retooling at this year's trade deadline, they have won four of their last six games and are within striking distance of an American League wild card spot.
As they continue to fight to make another trip to October, they will need their star players to step up, and that includes designated hitter George Springer.
Now in the final year of his six-year contract, Springer has not been the same hitter he was a season ago. After finishing seventh in AL MVP voting last year he has followed it up hitting .234 with a .317 on-base percentage and .714 OPS through 87 games.
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Springer is also currently sidelined with a left shoulder injury. The 36-year-old veteran was a late scratch from the lineup on Saturday, with Jesus Sanchez replacing him as the designated hitter.
He was once again held out of the lineup on Sunday for a second straight day. However, the team downplayed the issue, with no expectation of an injured list stint and the situation considered more of a day-to-day setback.
"Blue Jays giving George Springer another day to manage left shoulder tightness he's been battling since early in the week. Good chance he's available to hit off the bench on Sunday and to start on Monday. Club's currently in a 17-games-in-17-days stretch with extensive travel," reported Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.
Even though Springer is not having the year he expected, if the Blue Jays can sneak into the postseason he would undoubtedly be a player capable of making a huge impact.
Just last year, he launched a go-ahead home run that sent Toronto to their first World Series in over three decades. Springer will look to return to the starting nine Monday for a series opener against the Boston Red Sox.
