George Springer's Fractured Toe Could Leave the Blue Jays Short-Handed Right When They Need Him Most

The Toronto Blue Jays are heading into Sunday's decisive game against Minnesota without knowing if their designated hitter George Springer will be able to play. Springer took a foul ball off his left big toe Saturday during the Twins' 7-4 victory and immediately went down in pain, but he waved off the trainers and finished the at-bat before leaving the game. Manager John Schneider confirmed that initial X-rays showed a possible, probable small fracture, and Springer is undergoing a CT scan to determine the severity.

"Initial X-rays showed a possible, probable small fracture," Schneider said. "We'll know more in the next couple of days. Seen Georgie do that a lot of times. Usually, when he gives us that (the wave off) he's all right." The CT scan will likely tell the team how much time Springer could miss. To make matters worse, Springer fouled a ball off the same toe on Friday, so this is a recurring issue from the series. Schneider remains cautiously optimistic: "I know Georgie plays through a lot all the time. Fingers crossed but we'll see what the CT says."

Max Scherzer Takes the Mound With Recent Injury Concerns

The Blue Jays will send right-hander Max Scherzer (1-1, 3.38 ERA) to the bump on Sunday against the Twins. Scherzer has a strong career record against Minnesota, sitting at 10-2 with a 4.18 ERA in 19 starts against them. However, he's dealing with his own injury concerns after leaving his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday after just two innings and 36 pitches due to right forearm tendinitis. He indicated at the time that he didn't expect to miss his next start, so he's ready to go.

The Twins will counter with right-hander Taj Bradley (2-0, 1.08), who is 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA in six games (four starts) against Toronto.

Minnesota's Bats Are Clicking, Even Against Left-Handed Starters

The Twins exploded Saturday, scoring all seven runs in the third inning. Brooks Lee started the offensive fireworks with a solo shot, his second homer in two games, and Trevor Larnach finished it with a three-run blast. Two walks also contributed to the big inning against Blue Jays starter Eric Lauer.

What's most impressive: the Twins have now homered in 25 consecutive games at Rogers Centre. Manager Derek Shelton praised the approach. "Overall, we just had really consistent at-bats in that inning. We're having good at-bats, we're grinding through it. We're adding in walks."

Shelton acknowledged that Minnesota has faced nine left-handed starters in 15 games and is dealing with a roster heavy on left-handed hitters, but the team is finding ways to produce. "We're extremely left-handed and it's a little bit of a challenge for us. But we've had guys step up. It's been different guys on different days."

The Twins also placed infielder Royce Lewis on the injured list with a sprained knee and recalled Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A St. Paul. Cody Laweryson landed on the IL with a right forearm strain, and Andrew Morris was promoted from St. Paul.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.