George Springer is back at DH, and John Schneider's lineup shows the Blue Jays are pushing for a series win with a very different bottom half.
Toronto took Tuesday's game 3-2 on Brandon Valenzuela's walk-off single, so Wednesday's card is set up for a chance to take the Phillies series at Rogers Centre.
The top of the order stays familiar enough. Springer leads off as the designated hitter, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits second, and Ernie Clement stays in a run-producing spot at shortstop.
That part makes sense because Schneider still needs his proven bats carrying the traffic. Guerrero entered the day with a .740 OPS, while Clement has been one of Toronto's steadiest hitters at .309.
Kazuma Okamoto remains in the cleanup spot, which says a lot about how the Blue Jays still view his power lane in this lineup. He came into the day with 13 home runs, the biggest total among the names on this card.
Then the lineup turns younger and thinner. Yohendrick Piñango bats fifth, Valenzuela hits sixth behind the plate, and Charles McAdoo gets another look at second base.
That is not a standard win-now veteran card. It is Schneider leaning on a mix of youth, contact, and energy because the Blue Jays still do not have their full group available.
Toronto's lineup is chasing a series, not comfort
Valenzuela is the name that jumps out most after Tuesday night. His walk-off hit already bought him some momentum, and Schneider is giving him another chance to impact a game that matters in the standings.
McAdoo is just as interesting for a different reason. A club trying to win a series against Philadelphia is still handing meaningful at-bats to a young infielder, which tells you Toronto wants more than a short bench cameo from him.
The bottom third rounds out with Myles Straw in center and Nathan Lukes in right. That gives the Blue Jays more range in the field, even if it leaves less thunder at the bottom of the lineup.
This card also puts more pressure on Springer and Guerrero. When the lower half is built around support pieces and younger bats, the offense still runs through the first 4 names doing real damage early.
Toronto entered Wednesday still under .500, so a series win matters more than the usual June box score. That is why this lineup feels revealing: Schneider is not waiting for the perfect card, he is trying to squeeze a win out of the group he has tonight.
Do you like John Schneider's lineup for a series-clinching game?
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