Blue Jays' Projected Starting Lineup After George Springer Contract
The Toronto Blue Jays provided a major boost to their lineup Tuesday night by signing outfielder George Springer, one of the top free agents on the market, to a six-year, $150 million contract.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported details of the agreement and noted the deal, which is the largest in Blue Jays history, will become official once Springer completes a physical.
Here's a look at a potential batting order for Toronto to open the 2021 MLB season:
- 1. George Springer (CF)
- 2. Cavan Biggio (2B)
- 3. Bo Bichette (SS)
- 4. Teoscar Hernandez (DH)
- 5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3B)
- 6. Rowdy Tellez (1B)
- 7. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (LF)
- 8. Randal Grichuk (RF)
- 9. Danny Jansen (C)
The Jays have quietly built one of the league's deepest lineups, which features immense power throughout, after ranking eighth in home runs in 2020. An upgrade at catcher could still happen, but the front office may instead use those resources to bolster the starting rotation.
Springer, 31, had played all seven of his MLB seasons with the Houston Astros. He's a three-time All-Star who won the 2017 World Series and 2019 American League pennant with Houston.
The two-time Silver Slugger has 174 home runs, 458 RBI and an .852 OPS lifetime. He had a career-high 39 homers, 96 RBI and .974 OPS in 2019.
The 2017 World Series MVP saved his best work for the Fall Classic during the Astros' championship season, hitting .379 and posting a 1.471 OPS with five home runs, seven RBI, 11 hits and eight runs.
He notably led the Astros to a 5-1 win in Game 7 after going 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and leadoff double, which eventually led to his scoring a first-inning run.
The 2020 regular season was not as kind to the Astros, who stumbled to a 29-31 record that was good enough to sneak into the expanded playoff field.
Springer still excelled, however, hitting 14 home runs with 32 RBI, and posting a .265 batting average and .899 OPS. He added four home runs and 10 RBI during the Astros' playoff run, which fell one win short of a World Series berth after they lost four games to three in the AL Championship Series to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Houston's loss is Toronto's gain, and the Astros must find a replacement for a franchise cornerstone.
Springer joins a young Blue Jays team with rising stars such as Guerrero Jr., Bichette and Biggio, whose fathers all starred in the big leagues.
Springer could be a veteran presence for a Jays team looking to evolve after making the playoffs last year only to bow out after a two-game sweep at the hands of the Rays in the AL Wild Card Series.
The entire starting lineup last year was in its 20s outside Travis Shaw, and another clubhouse leader could help a Jays team that must leapfrog a pair of AL East titans in the Rays and New York Yankees.
Springer should immediately play center field, and he'll be flanked by left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and right fielder Randal Grichuk.
