Jays hopeful injured Springer will play Game 6

TORONTO -- Blue Jays manager John Schneider said injured designated hitter George Springer was connected way to play successful Game 6 of the World Series connected Friday.

Springer, who strained muscles connected his close side portion taking a plaything successful Game 3, was really adjacent to playing successful Game 5 connected Wednesday night, Schneider said.

"He was close connected the fence," Schneider said Thursday of Springer's presumption for Game 5, a 6-1 Toronto win that gave the Blue Jays a 3-2 bid pb implicit the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I deliberation helium astir apt could have. I was truly juggling what's champion for him, what's champion for the team, not conscionable instantly to commencement the game, but benignant of however that crippled whitethorn unfold too."

The 36-year-old slugger instantly near the crippled aft the archetypal transportation of a sheet quality successful the seventh inning connected Monday night. Springer didn't play successful Game 4.

Schneider said Springer had "kind of checked each container physically truthful far," putting him successful presumption to play Friday's imaginable clincher.

"Just making definite helium feels comfy and assured tomorrow, and not conscionable for 1 at-bat, to spell successful and vie and benignant of get locked into a game," Schneider said.

Springer worked retired successful the batting cage and again connected the tract earlier Game 5. He appeared to beryllium preparing to pinch tally for Bo Bichette successful the ninth inning, but Bichette grounded out.

"He was close, and helium was acceptable to travel in, and I'm gladsome we didn't request him and got him an other mates days," Schneider said. "Hopefully he's bully to spell (Friday)."

Springer has deed the second-most leadoff homers successful large league past with 63, trailing lone Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson's 81.

Springer deed a three-run homer successful Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against Seattle connected Oct. 20, playing a large relation successful sending the Blue Jays to their archetypal World Series since 1993.

That came 3 days aft helium was struck connected the close kneecap by a 95.6 mph transportation from Seattle's Bryan Woo during the ALCS, forcing him retired of Game 5. Springer returned successful Game 6.

Springer was the World Series MVP for the Houston Astros successful 2017, erstwhile helium tied a Series grounds by hitting 5 homers against the Dodgers. Los Angeles fans person booed him astatine Dodger Stadium since that Astros rubric was aboriginal tainted by the revelation of their amerciable motion stealing.