APRIL 8: Springer has a low-grade strain, according to manager Charlie Montoyo. He’s unlikely to debut until at at least April 15, Scott Mitchell of TSN tweets.
APRIL 7: Blue Jays center fielder George Springer looked as if he could make his 2021 debut Thursday, but there’s no longer a chance of that happening. Springer felt tightness in his right quad while running the bases on Tuesday and has undergone an MRI, Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star was among those to report. The Jays are still awaiting the results of Springer’s MRI.
When Toronto signed Springer to the largest guarantee in free agency – a six year, $150MM pact – the hope was obviously that he would be part of their lineup beginning Opening Day. But the three-time All-Star suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain during spring training, which has prevented him from debuting this year, and this latest issue will keep him out for at least a little more time. Springer appeared in 140 or more games in each season with the Astros from 2016-18, but he missed 40 contests in 2019 and sat out nine times during the abbreviated 2020 campaign.
The Blue Jays planned to enter the season with Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. flanking Springer in the outfield. Sans Springer, they have mostly turned to Randal Grichuk in center. Grichuk has gotten off to a hot start and helped offset Springer’s absence, though there’s no doubt the latter is the better option when he’s healthy.
One Bite Hotdog
A little too much Spring(er) in his step.
andthenisaid
Nice one +1
cgallant
Tulow 2.0
davengmusic
He’s excellent when he’s healthy… IF he’s healthy. I can’t see the back half of this contract turning out well for TOR, though.
Nothing
Springer isn’t gonna play a single game this year, you heard it here first. The guy is a bust and his contract is already an albatross. Overpaid bum!
JANUS
HOTTEST TAKE ALL YEAR! THIS GUY GETS IT! /s
Nothing
Lol I wasn’t being sarcastic. Sure, it may seem like a “hot take” but I have a bad feeling about Springer. Seems he’s happy with his new contract and doesn’t want to play. It will be one mysterious injury after the other. The only value seasons the jays could get out of him are the first 2, as he will start declining after (absolutely no players are good past 34). He’s a waste of money. Should have signed Bauer.
paddyo furnichuh
Your explanation for not being sarcastic makes it appear that you lack insight into Springer and back it with a blatantly false claim. Most players decline after 34, that’s inarguable. Your absolute claim is ridiculous.
Dustyslambchops23
Are you going for the record for how many wrong things you can say in a single post? Sheesh man.
Nothing
Some of the things I said are bold, daring even, yes. But how can you say I’m wrong? Do you know that Springer will play a substantial amount of games this year, and in future?
YankeesBleacherCreature
@Cheer WTF are you basing this on??? Lol @ Bauer. Then you’re going to complain about no pitcher deserving that much and that the Blue Jays need more support.
Dustyslambchops23
So you say something ridiculous and it’s on us to predict the future to rebuttal? Lol
MoneyBallJustWorks
no good players after 34. lol
Nelson Cruz and David Ortiz would argue otherwise
its_happening
The Bauer part was correct.
gmenfan
And there aren’t any dark corners in their histories after all.
Astros2017&22Champs
He doesnt want to play? The guy rakes and is a team leader. Noone wants to be more successful then george. Hes not dogging it at all. Hes always had minor soft tissue injuries. He will be fine and jays fans will love him like astros fans
cadagan
@cheeryvladdy
You have character assassinated someone based upon your feeling. Projected someone’s morals and future health, based upon same feeling. No basis, no reason.
Has this player said something to you to make you draw these conclusions? You make it sound like no, its just all a feeling you get, that he’s dishonorable, and also made of glass.
Then you doubled down on it.
Is there any basis to what you believe? … at all?
92jays
Cheeryvladdy I hope your wrong. But quad injuries can take months
Nothing
Trust me, I hope I’m wrong too. Imagine what this team could be with Springer playing everyday. Maybe it’s just PTSD from Tulowitzki, but I really don’t think Springer is gonna play much at all this year.
paddyo furnichuh
Dude, try hyperbolizing less. I know it’s a prevailing tendency when interfacing online, but it’s a bad aspect of modern human behavior.
youngTank15
Why would you say absolutely no players are good past 34?
Brent97 2
Hey would could have went out and signed paxton like everyone suggested… Oh wait hes rumoured to be needing tommy john surgery already.
Tigers3232
You obviously dont understand how it works. You say it as though Springer can just walk into clubhouse and say “im injured cant play” and collect a paycheck. Team DRs are involved as well as in some cases personal DRs.
cheesesteak
“Hi, is it too late to cancel that dugout trashcan I ordered for Thursday?”
Dumpster Divin Theo
So far the first half of the contract not working so hot either
jimmertee
Springer will be fine. He is not an injury prone Tulo. It may take a good 1/2 year to get him settled into his new club and health etc.
The contract length is too long of course but to lure him to Toronto that is what it took. Good on Shapiro for doing that. They should have spent the money on starting pitching though.
Springer is elite and will show himself so soon enough. Look for good things from him the the back half of 2021 and moving forward.
DarkSide830
yeah the Tulo comp is a little extreme.
baseballfan2019
No, it actually isn’t. Springer played 78 games his first year, then he went: 102, 162, 140, 140, 122. Tulo played 25 games his first year then he went: 155, 101, 151, 122, 143. Seems pretty comparable to me. When you consider the degrading nature of an injury, Springer is not getting healthier by the year.
mlbnyyfan
Let’s hope he doesn’t have Aaron Judgeitis. Judge out again today.
Yankee Clipper
Mlbnyy, it’s only a sore rib, so it’ll be four months
Dustyslambchops23
Ridiculous comparison that shows nothing . Springer could never miss another game or could blow out his ACL on a sprinkler and never be the same.
Comparing his first 5 years of games played to Tulo is as valuable as comparing him to the life span of a puppy. Ie doesn’t have any statistical relevance at all
baseballfan2019
I never said this projected any future games played. I merely compared their first 5 years in the league. I really don’t see how you can argue that they are not comparable. But you somehow went ahead and did it anyway. So I won’t bother arguing my point anymore. One other thing: a puppy is part of a dog’s lifecycle. So I’m not sure what the point of your analogy was except to just make it sound as random as possible.
Dustyslambchops23
That’s exactly the point. Comparing 2 different players first 5 years and projecting their future injury history is that random.
southsidebatman
Springer really shouldn’t be running through any sprinklers if his quad hurts right now.
Ducky Buckin Fent
Ugh.
You guys suck.
But…yeah. See you in August Aaron.
baseballfan2019
Go back and read the first line from the last thing I just said. Reading comprehension evades you, I see.
Ducky Buckin Fent
Crap.
Should have had an @Clip & an @mlbnyyfan.
Wasn’t directed at you in the least. This format does weird things.
Friendly fire, man.
My reading comprehension is typically ok though. Thanks for checking.
Dumpster Divin Theo
He’s obedient like a puppy. Sit. And he sits on a pitch at his knees. Stay. And he maintains a safe lead within distance of first base. Fetch. And he runs like the wind to haul a screaming line drive. Roll over and play dead. Astros.
Ducky Buckin Fent
You seem to have a much different puppy than mine. Damn, he’s a handful. Very talented & I think he’ll be my best yet.
But boy howdy is he a headstrong little fella.
Dumpster Divin Theo
What breed? Rescue?
Ducky Buckin Fent
Irish Water Spaniel. So sadly, not a rescue.
Hunting dog. They are known for their independence. He certainly has that. But I want a dog that can figure stuff out on their own in the field.
I have super high hopes for him. But he’s just a raw, wild, little piece of a dog at this point.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Cool. My brother has had a succession of Standard poodles, which sometimes get mistaken for the Water Spaniel. Have fun getting him acclimated.
Ducky Buckin Fent
That’s the one.
People keep telling me what a “cute Poodle puppy” I have & asking what is “wrong with his tail”.
“If heaven was a meritocracy your dog would get in & you wouldn’t.” – Mark Twain
Thank you. He’s a handful.
But spirited is fine.
its_happening
A little lineup shake-up is in-order for the Jays. Slow start, some guys aren’t swinging well, just change it up and see what happens.
Dustyslambchops23
Agreed. Would like to see them swap biggio and Lourdes in the lineup.
its_happening
I know this is unpopular but I’d see if Tellez hitting 5-hole between Vlad and Gurriel will get him back on-track (Biggio to 7). Tellez looks lost, but show him the “we have faith in you” message and see if he responds.
Dustyslambchops23
Hopefully just a precaution. And with a quad he can still swing, with rowdy struggling, they can use the DH spot to ease him in.
Metsin777
Mets dodged a bullet, Phew!
TradeAcuna
It took Triple H a long time to return from a quad injury. Maybe Springer will make a surprise entrance in the WS.
WAR_OVERRATED
Carlos Correa revenge? Mirror? Future?
Mr_KLC
I’ve said it since they signed him. When this contract is over, the Blue Jays will have rewarded Springer monetarily more for what he did for the Astros than what he ultimately does for the Blue Jays.
smuzqwpdmx
Of course, you could say the same about most free agent signings. Players don’t hit free agency in their mid-20s very often. But you still need to sign somebody to win, unless you’re the Rays.
biller
I think Sam Jackson played him in a movie with Bruce Willis and professor X.
JoeBrady
Springer is 31.200 years old, and has only averaged 135 games over the past 4 years. Nothing unexpected here.
smuzqwpdmx
The particular signing of Springer doesn’t look too smart right now, but his injury really validates the strategy of keeping 4 starting-quality outfielders and not trading one for pitching like everybody kept telling them to. It was always more likely than not that one of the 6 guys playing OF+1B+DH would be hurt on any given day of the season.
biller
I think Sam Jackson played Springer in a movie with Bruce Willis and Professor X
dodgerblue1
We can only hope it’s one injury after another for springer and all his cheating rat buddies in Houston
Astros2017&22Champs
Remember Marwins homer off jansen in the 9th? I certainly do.
OilCanLloyd
The Jays do have outfield depth with Davis and flexibility with Biggio to whether the delay of Springer. Have no fear, Grichuk is hear!
gtb1
Watching Springer play in Houston has been a treat. An awesome player and clubhouse leader. Plays full out all the time. Two early injuries reflects how hard he is working to show he deserves that big contract. Just overdid it. He is not one to sit back and ride out a contract. Be patient – he’s an awesome player and sorely missed.
Dutch Vander Linde
By April 13th they’re going to say he’ll be out until the all-star break. Lol
90shair
Is he gonna help the Jays cheat?
OilCanLloyd
No
its_happening
Hopefully