Outfielder George Springer continues to struggle offensively at the plate for the Toronto Blue Jays, as he ranks 155 out of 157 qualifying players in OPS at .539. Springer started off the season on a high note in April but, since then, has not been able to straighten things out. Springer has three home runs, nine RBIs, and a.188 batting average so far. Springer has battled at the plate before. Springer experienced a long hitting drought last season, which frustrated him greatly.
George Springer Near Bottom of MLB in OPS, Looking Lost Offensively
Springer Can’t Find the Dinger
Springer began the season on a high note as the leadoff hitter in the lineup. He is one of many key players on the Blue Jays squad. Unfortunately, he is not living up to his status. Springer’s poor start just gets worse. In May, he is hitting.155 with a slugging percentage below.200. Will he be able to turn things around soon? It would undoubtedly be inspiring for the struggling Blue Jays team. Their main challenge this season has been consistency. Their 2024 season has primarily consisted of one or two wins followed by one or two losses. They haven’t been able to establish a solid winning streak.
The longest win streak they’ve had this season is five games. They have also had difficulty sweeping series. They had chances to score runs in both games of the current series against the Detroit Tigers but failed. The Blue Jays’ 2-1 loss on Saturday was upsetting, considering José BerrÃos has been their most reliable pitcher this season. While Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette have recently performed admirably, the Blue Jays want offense from more than two guys in order to succeed. The Blue Jays need every player to contribute. It must be a collective offense, but it hasn’t happened very often this season. Especially when you have certain players like Springer and Justin Turner who have been struggling in May, this is when everyone else needs to step it up.
What’s Feeding Into Springer’s Low OPS
Given his ongoing troubles, you have to question why manager John Schneider inserted him fifth in the lineup. Perhaps he should not play every day. They’ve kept him high in the lineup for far too long. This could be a critical moment to give someone else a shot. When something isn’t working, you don’t remain with it.
When asked about Springer’s problems at the plate, Schneider stated that Springer has been hitting the ball hard but hasn’t produced hits. He stated that when he is at his best, he hits the ball higher in the air and that he must continue to work hard. Springer himself has also said that he has to work on his form at the plate. The league-average hitter is, without question, underperforming this season. This is from a Springer, whose wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) was 143 from 2019 to 2022. This ranks him eighth across all qualifying hitters, which is considerably better than he’s been this season.
While offensive issues do not last forever, and you want to give your guys the opportunity to show themselves, Springer’s struggles persist. Springer should take the time to increase his offensive production. Move him down the lineup and bring up Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has recently been getting on base and playing well. Schneider rearranged the batting order for Saturday’s game against the Tigers, with Turner second. It’s a surprising move, given his troubles and poor OPS in May.
