George Springer is out of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup again today, missing his second straight game and adding real worry to what was initially described as simple shoulder tightness.
Brett Bateman moves up to the leadoff spot in his absence, taking on a bigger role as Toronto continues shuffling its lineup around Springer's absence.
Shane Bieber gets the ball for Toronto today, taking on Jesus Luzardo and the Phillies in a series that's already carried some real tension after the recent Zack Wheeler dustup.
Bieber enters with a 5.11 ERA this season, part of an up-and-down year that's included both a real hot stretch and some brutal outings mixed in.
Springer is hitting .239 with 12 home runs across 82 games this season, and he'd actually been picking things up in recent weeks before this shoulder issue first surfaced.
John Schneider had initially framed the first absence as planned rest combined with existing tightness, but a second straight missed game without much further clarity naturally raises more questions than it answers.
Toronto sits at 53-60, last in the American League East, a season that's already dealt with major injury attrition, making any extended absence from a veteran bat worth watching closely.
Why two straight missed games changes the read on this
A single day off framed as rest is easy to shrug off. A second consecutive absence starts to look like something the team is being more cautious about than the original description suggested.
Bateman getting real leadoff at-bats in the meantime gives Toronto a look at a younger player, even if the circumstances forcing that opportunity aren't ideal.
It's a bit like a coworker calling in "just a little under the weather" two days in a row, the explanation starting to feel thinner with each passing day.
Does this extended absence simply reflect smart caution on a lost season, or does it suggest Springer's shoulder issue is more significant than the club has let on so far?
Blue Jays fans will be watching closely for any further update on Springer's timeline as this series against Philadelphia continues.
Are you worried George Springer's shoulder issue is worse than the Blue Jays have said?
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