Without question, a major reason why the Toronto Blue Jays currently occupy first place in the American League East Division is the resurgent play of veteran outfielder George Springer.
In showing that father time has not caught up to him Springer, who is 35 years-old was hitting .291 with 100 hits, 66 runs, 18 home runs and 57 RBI’s when on July 28th during an 11-4 loss at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles a scary scene unfolded in the ninth inning when this 11 year-veteran was hit in the head by a 95 mile per hour pitch from pitcher Kade Strowd.
In a scary scene that silenced the ballpark, Springer was down on the ground for over a minute but was alert and talking to manager John Schneider, along with the Jays’ training staff, who assisted him off the field.
“That’s the worst part of baseball for any side, when a pitch gets thrown that high,” Schneider said. “You don’t think about baseball, you think about the human. It’s scary. It happens. It sucks.”
Springer, who has a history with concussions, was on August 1st placed on the seven-day concussion injured list and, as of August 10th, hasn’t yet been cleared to start his rehab stint with the Jays Triple A team, the Buffalo Bisons.
“He’s feeling better every day,” Schneider said. “He’s hitting, running, today he’s taking fly balls off a bat in the outfield. As soon as he can get clearance from the MLB (he’ll) probably play in a game, see how he feels and go from there.”
Blue Jays Outfielder George Springer Sidelined With Concussion
Springer No Stranger to Concussions
Unfortunately, Springer has suffered some concussions throughout his career. Baseball fans might remember what happened on September 3, 2019, at Miller Park when playing for the Houston Astros, he made a highlight reel catch in deep center field before slamming headfirst into the outfield wall and suffering a concussion during an eventual 4-2 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers.
“He’s doing okay,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said at the time. “He ran into the wall and obviously got carted off the field, but he’s doing well given all the circumstances of running into a wall. He made a great catch. Scary for all of us.”
Springer ended up being carted off the field with the diagnosis of a mild concussion.
In a moment Blue Jays fans would rather forget, during the 2022 American League Wildcard Series against the Seattle Mariners, Springer suffered a scary concussion. During the eighth inning of play in an eventual 10-9 Mariners series-ending win at Rogers Centre, fans were horrified when both Springer and teammate Bo Bichette were looking to catch a blooper off Mariners J.P. Crawford‘s bat, when the two Jays collided violently, which resulted in three Mariners runs.
Meanwhile, stunned silence filled the ballpark as both Bichette and Springer were down on the ground and not getting up. During this collision, Bichette inadvertently slammed his elbow on the back of Springer’s neck. Unfortunately, Springer had to be carted off, but the good news was that he was conscious and talking.
After that playoff loss, Jays manager John Schneider remarked, “He’s going to be evaluated for a couple of different things. He said some nice things to his teammates just now, so we’ll known more in the next couple of days.”
Springer Rebounding From Off-Year and Key to Jays’ Success
Last year was a forgettable season for Springer, who in 145 games hit only .220 with 120 hits along with 19 home runs and 56 RBI’s.
The 2024 season started so badly for Springer that in mid-May, he was moved out of the lead-off spot. This year, Springer could be seen smiling and dancing in the dugout while encouraging his teammates, along with proving to be an overall spark plug in the Jays’ success.
His veteran presence and leadership, along with a proven track record, will prove to be key as we hit the MLB season’s stretch drive. Throughout his career, Springer has shown that innate ability to really shine in pressure situations. This includes the postseason, with his biggest moment occurring when he was named MVP after helping the Astros win the 2017 World Series.
There is no underestimating just how much Springer means to the Blue Jays. It’s safe to say that Blue Jays fans can’t wait to have him back.
Main Image: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
