George Springer and John Schneider have seen this kind of cold April before, which is why the Blue Jays are not acting like the leadoff spot needs a fix.
That is the clearest takeaway from the latest SI read on Springer's start. The numbers look rough on the surface, but Toronto has not moved him out of the top spot, and there is a reason for that.
Through his first 12 games, Springer was hitting .184 with 14 strikeouts. That is an ugly line, and SI noted it is worse than his usual early-season standard.
But this is also where the panic usually gets ahead of the player. SI pointed out that March and April have been the weakest months of Springer's career, with a career .245 average in that stretch.
That matters because it changes the read. This is not a veteran suddenly showing something nobody has seen before. This is a veteran opening slowly in a month that has long been his least productive.
Springer himself is not hiding from the frustration around the club. He said he understands why fans are upset and added that nobody wants to win more than the players in that locker room.
That kind of quote lands because it does not sound like excuse-making. It sounds like a veteran who knows the city is restless and also knows the season is far too long to let one rough stretch define it. That is an inference based on his comments and the timing of them.
Toronto has real reasons to stay patient
The strongest case for patience is not sentiment. It is what Springer looked like just last year. SI noted he hit .309/.399/.560 during his age-35 season, which was one of the best years of his Toronto run.
That recent track record matters more than 12 games in April. The Blue Jays are not betting on a name from 3 years ago. They are betting on a hitter who was still producing at a high level not long ago.
SI also pointed out that Springer is in the final season of the 5-year, $150 million deal he signed before 2021 and that he has posted a .801 OPS with a 122 OPS+ in Toronto.
That does not erase the slow start. It does explain why Schneider is not making a reactive lineup change just to satisfy the mood of one bad week. That is an inference based on Springer's role and SI's contract and production notes.
For the Blue Jays, the bigger issue is getting the lineup going around him. Springer's start deserves attention. It just does not deserve panic. And unless this cold spell keeps dragging far past April, Toronto has more reason to trust the pattern than fear it.
Should the Blue Jays keep George Springer in the leadoff spot despite his slow start?
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