TORONTO — In a spirited match on Sunday against the Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer became part of an unusual play during the fifth inning. The incident unfolded when Springer’s teammate Alejandro Kirk connected with a crucial RBI hit, leading Springer to skip exuberantly into third base.
However, his lively entry turned into an inning-ending out after Athletics third baseman Max Schuemann astutely maintained contact with his glove on Springer, who was caught bouncing on third base. This resulted in a ruling against Springer following a replay review.
Springer had initially gotten on base with an RBI single, marking the first run for Toronto. His advances continued on Kirk’s double, which reduced the opposition’s lead to 3-2.
John Schneider, the manager for the Blue Jays, clarified the situation, explaining that Springer’s actions were not a celebratory choreography but rather a consequence of a slight injury. “Georgie kind of tweaked his left ankle a little bit,” Schneider remarked. “He wasn’t dancing, he wasn’t doing anything crazy, he was just kind of testing his ankle out. It’s the blessing and the curse of replay. He’s sitting there safe and he popped off the base. He was as upset as anyone. And he’s about as smart of a base runner as we have.”
The out call eliminated the opportunity for Toronto slugger Addison Barger to bat with men in scoring positions at second and third base.
Notably, Schuemann had just replaced Miguel Andujar for a defensive shift when he made the play. Despite the minor injury scare, Springer had his ankle taped and chose to remain in the game. The Blue Jays surged ahead, clinching an 8-4 victory, which marked their fifth consecutive triumph. Meanwhile, the Athletics faced another setback, losing 17 of their last 18 games.