Gibbons juggles batting order

> BLUE JAYS 7 > RANGERS 5

ARLINGTON, TEXAS— He came. He saw. He got sick of what he was seeing.

So finally, belatedly, manager John Gibbons did a little shake-rattle-androlling to his non-hitting lineup before the Jays’ 7-5 win over Texas Wednesday night.

Kevin Pillar got the night off. And when he returns to duty for Thursday’s matinee at Globe Life Park, it won’t be to the leadoff position. That job has once again been invested upon Jose Bautista, in hopes the slumping slugger can mainline some pop atop the batting order.

Further adjustments: Catcher Russell Martin, with fine career on-base percentage numbers, will bat second on Thursday, after also getting to put his feet up in the dugout Wednesday, though he was available for pinchduties.

Troy Tulowitzki also sat Wednesday. But that’s a concession to precautionary maintenance days rest for players returning from injury — and scorching temperatures that are sapping everybody’s energy.

But Pillar jettisoned from leadoff is for keeps, at least for now, as the skipper tries to induce offensive spark and men on base from an otherwise home-run-manic club.

Last night it was rookie Dwight Smith Jr. batting second, bringing some much needed speed to Toronto’s running game. Josh Donaldson was pushed down a smidge into the third spot formerly occupied by Bautista, while Gibbons further flipped Justin Smoak, now batting cleanup, and Kendrys Morales.

The changes worked last night, with the Jays scoring six runs in the first, though the key hits came from Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney at the bottom of the lineup. Pillar will be joining them there.

“Looking back the last few weeks, we decided to move him out of there and let him catch his breath a little bit,” Gibbons said of the struggling Pillar.

“It’s been a battle for him, you know. And Kev’s one of those guys, he’s just charge, charge, charge.”

“I want to leadoff but I also want to do what’s best for the team,’’ Pillar told the Star. “And while I’m not getting on base, I’m not helping anyone out.’’

For Bautista, he’s been down this rescue-me road before, assuming leadoff status last year — May19, to be exact — when Pillar likewise scuffled with the gig, starting 40 games there.

“Whatever it takes to help us win games and whatever it takes to do what they believe puts us in a best position to win game,” said Bautista, who, it should be noted, has been in a hitting funk the last few weeks, batting .221 entering Wednesday’s game. But he’s still got a good eye for pitches off the plate.