Jays need Springer to set the table

sample size is too small for it to matter, but that won’t stop his club from being encouraged about an early trend. He’s chasing less, hitting for more power and, small sample size aside, it’s a trend the club hopes to see continue.

“He starts it,” manager John Schneider said before the Jays travelled to Houston. “When he’s going, we’re usually going pretty good.”

That didn’t happen nearly enough last year. Despite appearing in 154 games, the most he’s played since 2016, Springer set career lows for a full season in home runs (21), average (.258) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.732).

Entering his age-34 year, it was fair to wonder whether that was the start of a decline. Perhaps it was time to lower expectations and appreciate the player he had become, instead of who he once was. Or, maybe last season was just down a down year that could be tossed out.

In the season-opening four-game series against the Rays, there were some indicators that it might be the latter. Springer became the sixthJay to homer in each of the first two games of the season. He also walked twice and scored five runs.

“That has been George his whole career,” Schneider said. “Hopefully he can bottle that up and stay with it. It is nice when you get that top of the order. Between him, Vlad (Guerrero) and Bo (Bichette), they have a chance to hit the ball hard every time.”

Throughout much of spring training, there was talk about how the Jays wanted Springer to pull the ball in the air with more regularity. Last year’s pull percentage of 37.5 was his lowest since 2018 while a ground-ball rate of 44.8 per cent was his highest since that same year.

Not surprisingly, Springer’s quality of contact also plummeted. In 2022, he ranked in the 63rd percentile for hard-hit ball percentage and 43rd in exit velocity. Last year, he fell to the 44th percentile for hardhit ball percentage and 29th in exit velocity.

The home runs were still there — Springer slugged at least 20 for the seventh time — but he produced fewer extra-base hits than the season before, despite 100 more plate appearances. His walk rate of 8.8 per cent was a career low.

Compare that to the recent series against the Rays when Springer didn’t swing at a single pitch outside the strike zone in 18 plate appearances; last year, he chased 23.1 per cent of the time. The patient aggression goes hand in hand with the surge of power.

“I wouldn’t say trying to do it, because then I feel like you’re not going to be as good of a hitter, or as efficient as a hitter,” Springer said when asked about the home runs. “I think it’s about understanding your zone, understanding what you do well. If you get something to hit, hopefully you put your A swing on it.”

These days, just about every Jays hitter talks about sticking to “the plan.” What that looks like is different for every player. For Daulton Varsho, it means trying to create less loft. For others like Springer, it’s about creating more loft.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here, but there are similarities between hitters.

The Jays have put an increased focus on learning what opposing pitchers are trying to do to them, understanding their strengths as hitters and picking certain parts of the zone to do damage.

The offence will go as far as the top of the lineup takes it. It starts with Springer. Monday night aside, that’s what made his early performance a positive early sign for the Jays. All he has to do now is keep it going.