George Springer will likely be back in the Toronto Blue Jays’ starting lineup for Game 6 of the World Series on Friday night.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday during off-day optional workouts there were “not many” boxes for Springer to check before being cleared to play in what could be the deciding game of Major League Baseball’s championship. Toronto leads the best-of-seven series against the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2.
“I think just making sure he feels comfortable and confident tomorrow, and not just for one at-bat, but to go in and compete and get locked into a game,” said Schneider at a news conference. “He’s kind of checked every box physically so far, so we’ll see how tomorrow goes.”
The 36-year old Springer, who has mainly been a designated hitter this year, was kept out of the Blue Jays’ lineup for a second straight game on Wednesday, missing Toronto’s 6-1 Game 5 win in Los Angeles. He’s been hurting throughout the post-season after being hit by several balls but left Game 3 after straining his midsection swinging at a pitch.
Schneider said he considered having Springer play in Game 5 on Wednesday.
“He was right on the fence. I think he probably could have,” said Schneider. “I was really juggling what’s best for him, what’s best for the team, not just immediately to start the game, but kind of how that game may unfold too.
“He was close, and he was ready to come in, and I’m glad we didn’t need him and got him an extra couple days, but hopefully he’s good to go tomorrow.”
Springer had a resurgent regular season, hitting .309 with 32 home runs and 84 runs batted in. He’s been hurting throughout the playoffs after being hit by several pitches but is hitting .246 with four homers and nine RBI this post-season.
Both teams held optional workouts at Rogers Centre this evening after returning to Canada in the early morning. Schneider was the only member of the Blue Jays who did a news conference, although pitchers Kevin Gausman and Max Scherzer as well as outfielder Davis Schneider did light workouts on the field.
John Schneider said the team arrived back in Toronto around 6:30 a.m., just in time to get stuck in the city’s morning rush hour, so he and the rest of the Blue Jays didn’t get to Rogers Centre until 8 a.m.
“I hung here [at the ballpark]. I was waiting for my wife and kids. They were, like, a half-hour behind us,” said Schneider. “So, I dropped off my bags. I actually hopped in the cold tub, a little cold plunge to kind of get you going a little bit.
“It didn’t work.”
Ohtani an opener in possible Game 7?
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will consider using Shohei Ohtani as an opener or even as an outfielder in Game 7 if Los Angeles forces the World Series against Toronto to the limit.
The two-way star threw 93 pitches in Wednesday’s 6-2 loss in Game 4 and could be available as a reliever this weekend in Toronto.
However, if Ohtani entered as a reliever after starting the game as a designated hitter, the Dodgers would lose their DH. He can remain in the game as a DH if he also is the starting pitcher.
“I think we would consider everything,” Roberts said Thursday, a day ahead of Game 6. “It’s more of just kind of doing whatever we can to get through tomorrow and then pick up the pieces and then see what’s the best way to attack a potential Game 7. So everything should be on the table and will be, for sure.”
Roberts said he planned to discuss options with Ohtani later Thursday.
Ohtani has never pitched in relief during his Major League Baseball career. He made a handful of relief appearances in Japan for the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, mostly as a rookie in 2013. He closed out Japan’s victory in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final against the United States, striking out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out.
Ohtani is batting .250 with eight homers, 14 RBI and 14 walks in the post-season for a 1.109 on-base-plus slugging percentage and is 2-1 on the mound with a 3.50 earned-run average and 25 strikeouts in 18 innings.
If Ohtani entered as a reliever after starting as a DH, he would need to play a position to remain in the game once his mound appearance is over.
He made seven outfield appearances with the Angels in 2021, the year before a rule was changed allowing starting pitchers to stay in games at DH after being removed from mound appearances.
