George Springer ran sprints at high intensity prior to Sunday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, saying afterwards that he’s hopeful he will be activated to play on Monday against the Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
Springer, who is still considered day-to-day with a Grade 1 left knee sprain, was injured when he ran into the outfield wall while chasing a ball in Seattle on Aug. 14 and hasn’t played since.
The Toronto Blue Jays have taken a cautious, phased approach to their star outfielder’s return from injury.
First, there was batting cage work and on-field running. Then Springer tested his knee with baserunning, a more objective test of Springer’s progress that he ran “close to 100 per cent,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said last Thursday.
“He looked good, he ran the bases well, and he felt good,” Montoyo said. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be up to him [when he returns] — he’s the one who knows his body. But from what I saw, and what people saw, he looked good.”
When Springer does return to the lineup, the Blue Jays’ current plan is that he will regularly serve as the team’s designated hitter.
Before going down with this latest injury, Springer, who also missed time at the beginning of the season with oblique and quad issues, was one of the hottest players in the American League.
The 31-year-old earned American League player of the week honours two weeks in a row and, on the season, is hitting .269/.362/.610 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs in 49 games.
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