Blue Jays announce depleted lineup against the Red Sox

That was the first thing hanging over Toronto's lineup card. Springer still was not ready to return, so Schneider had to build another game plan without one of his usual table-setters.

Instead, Schneider turned to Myles Straw in center field and the leadoff spot. It was a clear bet on speed, contact and trying to pressure Boston from the first inning.

Ernie Clement stayed right behind him at shortstop, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked into the 3-hole at first base. That top 3 told you exactly what Toronto wanted: traffic early, then let its best hitter cash it in.

The middle of the order had a heavy right-handed look. Kazuma Okamoto hit cleanup, Lenyn Sosa batted fifth at second, and Eloy Jiménez served as the designated hitter in the 6 spot.

That part of the card stood out because Schneider clearly wanted his right-handed bats lined up against Boston left-hander Ranger Suárez, who entered at 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA. Toronto counters with Dylan Cease, who brought a 2.10 ERA and 44 strikeouts into the game.

Jesús Sánchez was the lone left-handed bat in the bottom 3, starting in right field and batting seventh. Davis Schneider followed in left, with Tyler Heineman catching.

That is what this lineup really said. The Blue Jays are still trying to find the cleanest version of themselves while Springer works back from the toe issue.

Straw leading off is part of that patch job. He gives Schneider defense and speed, but his being there also shows how much Toronto still misses Springer's regular presence at the top.

The right-handed stack was no accident, either. Okamoto, Sosa, Jiménez and Davis Schneider gave the Blue Jays 4 right-handed bats around Guerrero, which looked like a direct attempt to make Suárez work from both the stretch and the edges of the zone.

It also put a little more pressure on Cease. With Springer out, Toronto still needs strong run prevention behind its makeshift lineups, and Cease has been the right arm to ask for that so far.

The standings make all of this feel heavier. Boston came in at 11-17, Toronto at 12-15, so this was not some soft April matchup between clubs with room to drift.

That is why Monday's lineup mattered. John Schneider did not just fill out a card without George Springer. He built one to attack a lefty, lean on his right-handed bats, and give the Blue Jays a chance to start the Red Sox series on the right foot.