Springer breaks out with pair of 3-run HRs: 'I need to keep going'

TORONTO -- Over and over again, John Schneider has told us that George Springer is ¡°a couple of days¡± away from a hot streak.

Well, wake up, those long days are over.

Springer launched a three-run home run in the first inning of Thursday night¡¯s 9-2 win over the Yankees at Rogers Centre, and he enjoyed it so much that he did it again the very next inning. Before some fans reached the bottom of their first beer, Springer was 2-for-2 with two home runs and six RBIs.

¡°I love it,¡± said Schneider. ¡°Coming off the three-hit night in Boston with the homer and then tonight, it¡¯s what we¡¯ve known from George. It couldn¡¯t happen to a better guy in the spots he was in tonight. Those were just great swings. He deserves a lot of credit, him and the hitting coaches, for continuing to grind and work. He¡¯s been a great player for so long.¡±

Hitting a pair of three-run shots is one thing, but doing it in the first and second innings is something else entirely. The last player in MLB to do this was Hanley Ramirez with the Red Sox back on Aug. 12, 2016. By the time Springer¡¯s second blast cleared the Budweiser sign in left-center field and crashed into the crowd, it felt like the game was already over.

The second was also Springer¡¯s 250th career home run. He ranks 20th among active players now, two behind Eugenio Su¨¢rez, seven behind Marcell Ozuna and eight behind Salvador Perez.

¡°It¡¯s felt better the last few weeks,¡± Springer said. ¡°I know that things get judged by results, but I feel like I¡¯ve hit the ball hard, I just feel like I¡¯ve hit the ball at people a ton. At the end of the day, I need to keep going. I need to keep working and doing one thing a day to help this team win. Whether that¡¯s offense, defense, a walk, getting hit by a pitch. I will do anything I can.¡±

The Blue Jays still have miles to go if they want to drag their 37-43 record back into postseason contention, but Thursday was a glimpse into what this offense has been missing all along. This lineup¡¯s fatal flaw has been a lack of power, and even after Springer¡¯s two and a solo shot from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays rank 26th in MLB with 72 home runs.

Speaking before Thursday¡¯s surprise outburst, general manager Ross Atkins expressed his belief in these hitters and pointed to their track records -- which he has done repeatedly this season -- but acknowledged that the offense as a whole has been a problem.

¡°I just expected us to score more runs. I think everyone in the building did, and we need to figure out why that didn¡¯t happen,¡± Atkins said.

The Blue Jays have to be realistic here. They don¡¯t need Springer to hit 30 home runs with a .900 OPS, but he came into Thursday with the second-lowest OPS (.581) among all qualified hitters in MLB. Only Jeff McNeil of the Mets had a lower number (.569) entering play, but with Thursday¡¯s performance -- a single included -- Springer jacked his OPS up to .618.

Springer hasn¡¯t hidden from this, either. Eleven years of experience in the big leagues have taught him how to keep these frustrations from swallowing him whole. And in recent weeks, he has spoken directly to his role on this struggling team.

¡°At the end of the day, results are key. I understand that. I will own the fact that I have not held up my end of the bargain,¡± Springer said on June 15 as his numbers continued to plummet. ¡°For me, it¡¯s about what gets preached in here, which is to do something that helps us win every single day. You can¡¯t try to hit a five-run homer. You can¡¯t try to gain all of it back in a day.¡±

Well, you can¡¯t hit a five-run homer, but you can hit two that add up to six.