Alejandro Kirk is back in John Schneider's lineup, and the Blue Jays are throwing a different kind of card at the Yankees tonight.
Toronto opens this series at 33-36 against a Yankees club that comes in at 41-26, so this is not a night for a soft lineup or a passive one.
George Springer leads off as the designated hitter again, which keeps his bat at the top without asking him to cover the outfield. Ernie Clement slides into the 2-hole at second base, a sign the Blue Jays still trust his contact game to keep traffic moving in front of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
That top 3 tells you exactly what Schneider wants. He is trying to get on base, avoid empty early innings, and give Guerrero a chance to hit with pressure already on New York.
Kirk batting cleanup is the biggest detail on the card. After weeks of waiting on his return, the Blue Jays are not easing him back at the bottom of the lineup. They are dropping him straight into a run-producing spot.
Kazuma Okamoto hits 5th behind him, which gives Toronto another right-handed power lane in the middle. Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Davis Schneider, and Andrés Giménez round out a bottom half built more on coverage and matchup value than pure thump.
That matters because this lineup is not pretending to be complete. It is trying to be functional enough behind its core names to let the middle of the order decide the game.
Trey Yesavage puts a rookie edge on this lineup card
The other headline is on the mound. Trey Yesavage gets the start, and that gives tonight a different feel right away. This is a rookie starter opening a big divisional series against the Yankees.
The official probable pitchers page lists Yesavage at 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA, while New York counters with Ryan Weathers at 2-4 and a 3.86 ERA. That gives Toronto a real chance if the lineup gives the kid some support.
It also explains why Kirk's return is such a big piece of this. A young starter benefits from having the regular catcher back behind the plate, not just for pitch calling but for game calm.
Davis Schneider in left field is another name worth watching. He is not in there to blend in. He is in there because Toronto needs a spark from a lineup that has spent too much of this season chasing steadier offense.
There is also pressure on Springer and Guerrero. When the lower half looks like this, the Blue Jays need their first 4 hitters doing real damage instead of just setting up chances that never cash in.
So this lineup says plenty before first pitch. Schneider is leaning on Kirk's return, counting on Clement's bat control, and trusting Yesavage to keep the game on script long enough for Toronto to take a real swing at the Yankees.
Do you like John Schneider's lineup against the Yankees tonight?
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