DUNEDIN, Fla. -- George Springer¡¯s ¡°check engine¡± light was on for most of 2022. He dealt with what seemed like a dozen injuries throughout the season, most notably a right elbow issue that was cleaned up with an offseason surgery.

His season ended with a scare, too, when Springer was carted off after a high-speed collision with Bo Bichette in the AL Wild Card Series. Springer suffered a concussion and, as he puts it, ¡°fell asleep and woke up smiling at Andrew Pipkin,¡± the Blue Jays¡¯ medical director.

Now, Springer is back, and a healthy Springer remains one of the game¡¯s finest talents, particularly at the top of a lineup.

¡°We¡¯re talking about damage, on-base, energy, presence -- a guy who can work an at-bat who just rubs off on everyone one through nine,¡± said manager John Schneider. ¡°You¡¯re looking at one of the best leadoff hitters in the game over the last handful of years. I think if you have him in there regularly, you¡¯re off to a really good start.¡±

The frustration of Springer¡¯s 2022 season wasn¡¯t just rooted in the injuries themselves, but their unpredictable nature. There were days where Springer struggled on every swing, often dropping to one knee and grimacing in clear pain. There were other days where he¡¯d get through warmups and feel fine, manning center field with ease. Many of the Blue Jays¡¯ lineups were delayed in ¡¯22 because the training staff was working with Springer to determine whether he¡¯d be fit to play the field that night or would need to DH.

Coming off his debut season with the Blue Jays in 2021, which was also slowed by injuries, this was as much a mental battle for Springer as a physical one.

¡°I¡¯m not going to complain about it now, but it wasn¡¯t fun,¡± Springer said. ¡°It¡¯s not fun to play with anything that¡¯s bothering you. I learned fast that it¡¯s really hard to play baseball with a bad arm, but it¡¯s all good. It¡¯s in the past. I¡¯m just glad I was able to get through it and contribute to some degree.¡±

If it were up to Springer himself, of course, he would have been out in center field nearly every day. Schneider said Tuesday in Dunedin that the coaching staff had to take that decision out of his hands at times to protect his body, which worked well considering what he was dealing with. Springer still managed to hit .267 with an .814 OPS and 25 home runs.

¡°In a perfect world, he probably would have had something done in the middle of the season last year,¡± Schneider said. ¡°To his credit, he wanted to grind it out and understood where we were in the standings. It was tough for him, for sure. His performance probably suffered a little bit, whether it was offense or defense. That¡¯s the kind of teammate he is.¡±

This season, the Blue Jays shouldn¡¯t need Springer to fight through as much. At least, that¡¯s the hope.

With Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier added, the Blue Jays have one of baseball¡¯s most talented outfields defensively. Both Kiermaier and Varsho are capable of winning a Gold Glove Award, and when you factor in Whit Merrifield¡¯s versatility, the Blue Jays have three players not named George Springer who can play center field.

The move to right field was likely coming eventually for Springer, but these two additions have expedited it. To Springer¡¯s credit, again, there was no angst involved in this move. All it took was a quick conversation, Schneider says, and Springer was fully on board with this new direction.

Springer liked this for baseball purposes, though. It had nothing to do with the traditional thinking that right field brings less wear and tear, making it a more comfortable spot for aging outfielders.

¡°I¡¯m not a big believer in that, just because of the way I play,¡± Springer said. ¡°I don¡¯t play [a] very slow style of game. I play aggressive. I like to run. I play fast. It¡¯s just different. The ball is hit differently and there are a lot more angles when it¡¯s hit in play. There¡¯s a lot more spin on the ball and there are some big boys up there.¡±

Springer will fit well defensively in right, of course, but his best position is just being on the field.

There¡¯s a wholeness to this Blue Jays roster when Springer plays, setting the tone from the leadoff spot in front of a star-studded lineup. Now that his body isn¡¯t getting in the way, he¡¯s clear to be the engine of this offense again.