Can the Blue Jays ride the momentum and clinch a playoff berth? A big part of that answer is whether Springer can keep producing.
Another day, another dinger for George Springer. That’s the way it has been lately for the Blue Jays’ new addition. The 31-year-old all-star outfielder has been on a tear since the Blue Jays (finally!) returned to play ball at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. (They had been playing ‘home’ games in nearby Buffalo, NY.)
During the team’s 11-game homestand, Springer has been virtually unstoppable. Here’s how:
• 0.409 batting average
• 5 home runs
• 16 RBI
• 12 runs
• 1.381 ops
Springer’s recent dominance resulted in his receiving the second straight AL Player of the Week award. His clutch performance was instrumental in the Jays’ recent win over the Boston Red Sox. Down 8-6 in the eighth inning, Springer crushed a three-run homer for the comeback victory, winning 9-8.
Recent performance belies what Springer went through earlier in the season when Injuries affected his Toronto debut. First, he had an oblique injury. Then he suffered a quad strain. It was not the scripted start Jays fans hoped for, but Springer has returned with a vengeance and already has 14 HRs / 33 RBIs and sports a .978 OPS.
The Blue Jays’ recent hot streak could not have come at a better time. Going 7-3 in their last 10, the Jays (61-51 as of August 10) sit in 4th place in the AL East–the division many analysts and fans consider to be MLB’s best.
Can the Blue Jays ride the momentum and clinch a playoff berth? A big part of that answer is whether George Springer can keep producing.
