Springer on playing LF, lineup shift: 'Whatever I can do to help us win'

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- George Springer tends to bring a different energy -- and volume -- to any corner of the Blue Jays¡¯ complex.

Still an unmistakable presence, Springer is 35 now, with two years left on that six-year, $150 million deal that still stands as the biggest in Blue Jays history. He¡¯s coming off a .220 average with a .674 OPS in 2024, both career lows, but the organization is looking for him to bounce back in the right direction. This offense needs it, period.

¡°Taking a step forward in the box is something we¡¯ve talked about and he¡¯s worked really hard at it,¡± manager John Schneider said. ¡°I think he¡¯ll probably say the same thing, but he was frustrated with his year personally. I¡¯m confident he¡¯s going to turn it around.

¡°He¡¯s a really, really good player and I think if he¡¯s got the right mental approach going, he¡¯s going to be good. That¡¯s in the box ¡­ and then defensively, you might see him in left a little bit.¡±

Well, that¡¯s new.

Springer and Anthony Santander will man the corner outfield spots most days. Who¡¯s in which corner will depend on matchups and how Springer fares in left field early on, but this is another way the Blue Jays can chase offense with their best possible lineups, even if they need to sacrifice a few inches of defense along the way.

¡°I think it¡¯s exciting,¡± Springer said. ¡°I¡¯m going to do whatever he asks me to do. I¡¯m going to do whatever I can do to help us win. Obviously, I¡¯ve never really played over there, but that¡¯s OK. I think that¡¯s exciting. I¡¯ll get with [first-base coach Mark] Budzinski, I¡¯ll get with Schneider and I¡¯ll talk to Daulton [Varsho] a lot about it, then we¡¯ll go from there.¡±

The same conversation will follow Springer¡¯s lineup spot. A career leadoff hitter, can Springer hold onto that job or is it time for a move down the order?

¡°My job is to do whatever I can to help us win, whether that¡¯s hitting first, second, fifth, fourth,¡± Springer said. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m going to be the same guy. I¡¯m going to be the hitter I know how to be. I will do anything to help us win, so I¡¯m excited about it.¡±

Springer is saying all of the right things, but the Blue Jays have grappled with a succession plan in the leadoff spot for a couple of seasons now. If there¡¯s a ¡°question¡± left to answer in this Blue Jays¡¯ lineup, this is it.

Schneider wants to keep the core of his lineup solid, which would cover Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Santander, but the leadoff spot? The Blue Jays are open to ideas.

The other options

Bo Bichette

Consider Bichette the ¡°blitz¡± option here. Bichette is an aggressive hitter by nature, but his ability to make contact balances out that profile a bit. Some leadoff hitters see a bunch of pitches by working a 3-2 count, others do it by fouling off seven straight 0-2 pitches.

Bichette has a .280 average in 80 career games as the leadoff hitter, but Guerrero has always felt more natural in the No. 3 spot and this would leave a gap between the two. What makes the discussion around Springer leading off so complicated is that there isn¡¯t another clear and obvious answer behind him, but if there¡¯s one real takeaway from the early days of camp, it¡¯s that Schneider and the Blue Jays are wide open to being more creative with this lineup.

Will Wagner

Wagner owns a career .402 on-base percentage in the Minors and typically has a shot at walking more than he strikes out, which is a fine place to start. He¡¯ll bounce between first, second and third base, which makes his day-to-day lineup spot unpredictable, but offense needs to take priority eventually. From that crowded group of infield depth, Wagner is the best bet to get a crack in the leadoff spot.

Alan Roden

Down the road a bit, Roden represents the Blue Jays¡¯ best long-term option. Already singled out buy GM Ross Atkins early this spring, Roden is an on-base machine who carried a .406 OBP through his 71 games in Triple-A Buffalo last season. From his approach to the organization¡¯s constant praise of his intelligence and ability to adapt, Roden has leadoff hitter written all over him if it all comes together. The Blue Jays are eager to have Roden break through, so he won¡¯t necessarily need an injury in front of him, either.