Blue Jays reveal unexpected lineup decisions against the Angels

That is the headline Toronto needed after the way the weekend unfolded in Arizona. Varsho missed the last 2 games, and the Blue Jays looked thinner the second his name disappeared from the card.

Now Schneider gets him back for Game 1 in Anaheim. The posted lineup has Ernie Clement leading off at second, Varsho batting second in center, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back in the 3 spot at first base.

Jesús Sánchez hits cleanup in right, while Kazuma Okamoto bats 5 and handles third. Nathan Lukes is in left, Eloy Jiménez is the designated hitter, Andrés Giménez plays shortstop, and Tyler Heineman catches.

The return matters because Varsho was one of the few Blue Jays hitters giving the club real life before the scare. Through 19 games, he was batting .262 with 3 home runs and a .795 OPS.

That kind of production plays anywhere, but it matters even more on this roster. Toronto came into Monday at 8-13, and Schneider has spent most of April trying to patch together offense around injuries and cold bats.

There is also a clean baseball reason to like where Varsho slots in. Hitting him second puts a left-handed bat between Clement and Guerrero Jr., giving the top of the order more speed, more range, and more chances to pressure Reid Detmers early.

The Blue Jays needed this to happen without dragging out into a longer absence. Sportsnet reported Sunday that Varsho was tracking toward a Monday return after the tightness around his kneecap settled down over the weekend.

That makes Schneider's card feel more normal again. Myles Straw covered center capably in Arizona, but Varsho changes the shape of the lineup because he brings defense and a little thump in the same roster spot.

Toronto also needs length from the bottom third. Giménez and Heineman are not there just to survive at-bats tonight. With Detmers carrying a 3.57 ERA into the game, the Blue Jays need traffic for the top to hit with men on base.

The pitching side adds to the urgency. Dylan Cease starts for Toronto with a 1.74 ERA, which means this is the kind of game the Blue Jays should be built to support with early runs.

That is why Varsho's return lands as more than a routine lineup note. Toronto is not just getting back a center fielder. It is getting back one of the few players on the roster who had been helping the club breathe.

If the Blue Jays are going to make this Angels series count, this is the kind of lineup card they needed to post. Daulton Varsho is back, Schneider has more balance near the top, and Toronto finally heads into a game looking a little less patched together.