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The Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday placed center fielder George Springer on the 10-day injured list with a strained right quad. The move is retroactive to May 3.
The 31-year-old Springer, whom the Blue Jays signed to a $150 million free agent contract this past offseason, has played in just four games this season. He wasn’t able to make his regular season debut until April 28 because of an oblique injury suffered during spring training followed by a right quad issue sustained while rehabbing the oblique injury. While Springer has been productive in those games, his health concerns have been the story thus far in his Toronto tenure.
Springer appeared to re-aggravate the quad while running out a ground ball on Saturday. On Sunday, he was removed mid-game with what was later described as “fatigue.” He has not played since, and a Wednesday MRI revealed that he re-injured the quad muscle. Springer has now been on the IL eight times across parts of eight MLB seasons.
While Springer is out, Randal Grichuk figures to continue as the Jays’ primary in center field. Springer, who will be the center fielder once fully healthy, had served as DH for his four games played in an effort to keep him healthy. Now that the approach hasn’t worked, the club will likely proceed cautiously with Springer’s injury given the recurring nature of it this season. Suffice it to say, Springer’s offensive skills — he owns an OPS+ of 132 for his career — will be missed in the Toronto lineup.