Blue Jays manager John Schneider has a plan for George Springer, and it could reshape the lineup. The manager said the team has talked about getting Springer the odd day in right field again, telling reporters, "We kind of have a plan in place to get that going."
That is the decision in front of Schneider: whether to put Springer back in the field often enough to free the designated hitter spot, and which hitters slide into it when he does.
Springer has spent all of 2026 at DH, where he is slashing .227/.319/.386 with eight home runs and a .705 OPS. He moved off of outfield duty after fracturing his left big toe in mid-April and has made strides in his recovery from the injury, mostly by limiting his appearances to the batter's box.
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The plan is already in motion. On Monday, MLB.com's Keegan Matheson shared that Springer took pre-game defensive drills in right field alongside Jesus Sanchez and Myles Straw, the latest sign he is working toward a part-time return.
A reason for the move is that one player is moving through the minors. Sean Keys hit his 19th and 20th home runs of the season at Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, and Matheson noted the bat could eventually force its way to Toronto. Keys is blocked at first and third by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto, which leaves the DH spot as his clearest path.
That is what makes the Springer question bigger than one lineup card. Every day he spends in the outfield is a DH at-bat freed for Guerrero, Okamoto or whoever earns it next. If Schneider commits to it, the move would offer a power bat that the team has been missing all season long.
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