Although Davis Schneider has no intention of replacing George Springer, it is the proper course of action at this time, whether he wants to or not.
The Blue Jays are in the bottom eight of the league in terms of home runs and on-base plus slugging percentage, fourth in terms of runs per game, and next to last in terms of OPS when there are runners in scoring position, just 25% of the way through the season.
By no means will switching the leadoff hitter resolve everything, but there are more justifications for doing so than just the idea that it would help.
With a batting average of just.200 and an OPS of.563, Springer is lagging behind the 169 other qualified hitters in the majors as of Monday’s games. And out of all the players in the lineup, the leadoff hitter receives the most trips to the plate.
The 34-year-old’s slow April is nothing out of the ordinary. Throughout his ten years in the major leagues, Springer’s opening month of the season has been his poorest, but he has always recovered. There is no reason to think he won’t recover from it.
However, May has been worse than April so far this season since Springer has been dealing with the respiratory infection that has been wreaking havoc on the Jays’ clubhouse for the majority of the month. In May, he has only batted.161 (5-for-31) with zero extra-base hits and one walk.
There should be a new face at the top of the order, even though nobody has ever been able to predict when a hot hitter will turn cold or when a cold hitter will get hot.
It is true that hitters will be pitched the same way regardless of where they are in the lineup, as Jays manager John Schneider has claimed. Not only should Springer be given the chance to resolve his issues in a less consequential role, but Davis Schneider has also demonstrated that he is capable of contributing to the club in a more significant one.
The moustachioed 25-year-old entered Monday having compiled a.952 OPS since making his major league debut in August of last year, second only to Juan Soto of the Yankees in the majors. Before finishing 0-for-5 in Monday’s extra-inning victory in Baltimore, he led all qualified Jays this season in hitting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. In terms of walk rate, he trails only Daulton Varsho on the team.
Schneider has started the first three of the Jays’ last four games, while Springer is on the disabled list. All three of his hits from that position came in Saturday’s dramatic comeback victory over Minnesota. He’s prepared for any long run that lies ahead for him up top.
In an interview that will air on Thursday’s new episode of the Star’s baseball podcast, “Deep Left Field,” Schneider remarked, “I like it.”
“You shouldn’t really modify your approach or your thinking when hitting leadoff. No matter where you are in the lineup, it should never change.
With two exceptions, which have to do with the game’s opening at-bat.
Schneider stated, “One way to look at it is if you can jump on (a pitcher) early.” He doesn’t feel comfortable, so he won’t try to paint early in the game. It’s like he’s going to groove one. Conversely, you also want to let your fellow hitters see what he throws. It is therefore a waste of time if you swing at the first pitch and get out since it is a fastball.
The man who has been hitting first for the Jays since arriving in 2021 has given Schneider a lot of advice on how to be a leadoff hitter.
“Springer has taught me a lot and has been one of the greatest leadoff hitters in history,” Schneider remarked. “He’s discussed the requirements for being a leadoff hitter, including when not to swing and how to attempt to score runs for the club, among other things. As far as leadoff hitters go, he is quite knowledgeable.
And great success as well. With 57 home runs to start a game, only Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson has done so more than Springer.
It’s not unusual to move Springer out of the leadoff position. That was just last season for the Jays.
On July 28, 2023, with Whit Merrifield on a three-week tear and Springer in a 1-for-30 slump, the Jays decided to switch up the lineup, shifting Merrifield to first base and putting Springer in sixth.
A month passed throughout the shift. On August 28, Springer was ahead again. On August 5, he broke out of his slump with a four-hit game in Boston. That started a stretch of games during which he produced an OPS of.943 with four home runs, and Merrifield had an OPS of.566.
It’s time to give Davis Schneider some run support up top, but you never know when a cold hitter may become hot and vice versa.