George Springer is available to pinch-hit for the Blue Jays in Wednesday’s Game 5 of the World Series despite not being in the starting lineup for the second straight game.
The 36-year-old Springer strained muscles on his right side while taking a swing in the seventh inning of Game 3 on Monday night, immediately leaving the game after the first pitch of his plate appearance.
Blue Jays’ George Springer is available to pinch hit & Dodgers’ Mookie Betts drops in order | MLB on FOX
The veteran slugger didn’t play in Game 4, with Bo Bichette going 1 for 4 and driving in a run as Toronto’s designated hitter in a 6-2 victory to even the Series.
Davis Schneider is the leadoff batter and Bichette is once again the designated hitter for Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A right-handed hitter, Schneider is 3 for 16 over six games in his first postseason. He is playing left field in Game 5 against Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell instead of Nathan Lukes, a left-handed batter who hit leadoff for Toronto in Game 4 against right-hander Shohei Ohtani.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Springer probably could have been a pinch runner in Game 4. The Blue Jays didn’t need to consider it after building a five-run lead in the seventh inning.
Springer worked out in the batting cage and again on the field Wednesday before Game 5.
Springer hit a three-run homer in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against Seattle last week, playing a major role in sending the Blue Jays to their first World Series since 1993.
Springer also had to leave Game 5 of the ALCS after getting hit by a pitch on his right kneecap. He returned for Game 6.
Springer was the World Series MVP for the Houston Astros in 2017, when he tied a Series record by hitting five homers against the Dodgers. Los Angeles fans have booed him at Dodger Stadium since that Astros title was tainted by the revelation of their illegal sign stealing.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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