George Springer is back in John Schneider’s lineup Tuesday as the Blue Jays try to answer a flat 5-1 loss to the Rays at the Trop.
That is the biggest change on Toronto’s lineup card. Springer is back at the top, with Pinango hitting second and Okamoto batting third.
Jesus Sanchez stays in the middle of the order, and that matters. Sosa is keeping one of his steadiest run-producing bats in a spot where Toronto badly needs better traffic after managing only 1 run on 10 hits Monday.
Daulton Varsho and Ernie Clement follow, which gives the Blue Jays a little more balance through the middle. Then come Yohendrick Piñango, Andrés Giménez, and Brandon Valenzuela in the bottom third.
That top section is worth watching because Pinango was one of the few bright spots in the opener. He went 3-for-5 Monday, and Toronto needs somebody beyond Guerrero Jr. to cash in chances against Tampa Bay’s pitching.
The bounce-back angle is obvious. The Blue Jays fell to 16-19 with the loss, while the Rays pushed to 22-12 and stretched their winning streak to 4 games.
Springer’s return also gives Schneider a more normal look at the top. After missing Monday, the veteran gets dropped right back into a table-setting role as Toronto tries to stop a 2-game skid.
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Toronto’s lineup is built to give Gausman support
That matters because Kevin Gausman gets the ball against Drew Rasmussen, and this matchup does not leave much room for another wasted night with runners on base. Gausman enters at 2-2 with a 3.10 ERA, while Rasmussen is 2-1 with a 2.64 ERA.
So this lineup does not read like Schneider chasing a full reset. It reads like a manager trying to get his best veteran back into the leadoff spot and trust the same core bats to be cleaner in big moments.
Guerrero Jr. is not in the lineup this game but it looks to just be a rest day for the Blue Jays star
There is also a little pressure on Sánchez here. Batting fourth puts him in the clean up spot to create a faster start after the Blue Jays were buried by Ryan Vilade’s 3-run homer in the first inning Monday.
In the end, Springer is the clearest signal on this card. Schneider had the option to keep piecing this together, but instead he went back to one of his veteran tone-setters right away.
That makes Tuesday’s lineup easy to read. The Blue Jays are not easing into this rematch. They are trying to punch back fast, and Schneider is asking Springer to start it.
Should George Springer stay in the leadoff spot for the Blue Jays right now?
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