George Springer is hitless with two strikeouts this series, and the Blue Jays' playoff hopes are fading fast.

Toronto has lost both games so far against the Rangers in Texas, setting up a Sunday finale where a sweep is now the real concern.

Keegan Matheson of MLB.com laid out just how steep the climb has become.

"Blue Jays lose and fall to 76-79. Cleveland won. Chicago won. They essentially need to make up four games with only seven games remaining. It would take a miracle," Matheson wrote.

Springer's own stretch has become part of the larger story. He's making $22.5 million this season, hitting .249 with 111 hits, 15 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases across 121 games.

One fan captured the frustration bluntly.

"Twice George Springer has come up to bat with a pair of runners on the bags and twice he's headed to the dugout empty handed. Just can't win much when your big names are unable to hit in the clutch," Maddy Dickens wrote.

Why this season stings more after last year's run

Springer is in his sixth season with Toronto, a run that included last year's trip to the World Series for the first time since 1993.

That 2025 season was one of his best in a Blue Jays uniform, hitting .309 with 32 home runs across 140 games at 37 years old.

He spent his first seven seasons with the Astros before that, helping Houston win the 2017 World Series title.

Now a four-time All-Star heading toward free agency this winter, his final stretch in Toronto is unfolding during one of the more disappointing seasons of his career here.

Where he lands for 2027 remains a real open question, one that will only get more attention as this season winds down.

Toronto sits fourth in the AL East at 76-79, having lost six of its last ten games, a stretch that's turned a real playoff push into a genuine long shot.