Designated hitter George Springer has returned to the Blue Jays lineup as Toronto seeks to clinch the World Sequence title, whereas the Los Angeles Dodgers are tinkering with their order as they search to increase the collection to Sport 7.
Springer would be the Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter for Friday’s Sport 6 after lacking the previous two video games when he strained muscle tissues on his proper aspect whereas taking a swing in Sport 3.
Los Angeles, in the meantime, will shift Mookie Betts to cleanup and play Miguel Rojas at second base. The Dodgers are trying to find an offensive spark after being held to a few runs and 10 hits over two straight losses to the Blue Jays in Los Angeles.
Betts at cleanup is the bottom he has hit in a lineup since September 2017 with the Boston Purple Sox.
Usually hitting No. 2 for the Dodgers this season, Betts is 3-for-23 within the World Sequence, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sport 5 when he hit third for the primary time in 4 years.
Toronto supervisor John Schneider mentioned Thursday that Springer had been near taking part in in Sport 5, saying he was “proper on the fence” of being out there.
Springer, 36, has hit the second-most leadoff homers in main league historical past with 63, trailing solely Corridor of Famer Rickey Henderson’s 81.
He hit a three-run homer in Sport 7 of the American League Championship Sequence towards the Seattle Mariners on Oct. 20, taking part in a significant position in sending the Blue Jays to their first World Sequence title since 1993. That got here three days after he was struck on the fitting kneecap by a 95.6 mph pitch from Seattle’s Bryan Woo through the ALCS, forcing him out of Sport 5. Springer returned in Sport 6.
With Springer again within the lineup, Bo Bichette will play second base for the third time within the World Sequence after not taking part in the place on the main league stage earlier than.
The Blue Jays lead the World Sequence 3-2 and are one win from their first title since 1993. A Dodgers victory would power the primary World Sequence Sport 7 since 2019.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.