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Blue Jays Kick Off Season with Unique Lineup in Home Opener
Toronto – In an unexpected move, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled a bold lineup for their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles, signaling a potentially new approach for the start of the season.
Shortstop Bo Bichette, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and left fielder Anthony Santander took the top three spots in the batting order on Thursday, an atypical arrangement. Notably, Andres Gimenez found himself batting cleanup, which is an unusual role for the second baseman known more for his defensive skills.
Manager John Schneider indicated that the trio of Bichette, Guerrero, and Santander is likely to be the mainstay at the top of the order as the season unfolds, while the cleanup slot will see a variety of players filling in. “Probably, yeah, for a while,” Schneider noted in his office at Rogers Centre prior to the game. “It’s about striking a balance between what looks good on paper based on matchups and what the players feel comfortable with.”
“I’m sure there’ll be some tweaks along the way, but I like the setup as it stands now,” he added.
Bichette holds a career batting average of .290 and has hit 93 home runs, although an injury-riddled 2024 season affected his stats. Guerrero boasts a .288 lifetime average and 160 home runs, including 30 from the previous season. Santander, now with the Blue Jays after spending eight seasons with the Orioles, has a career average of .246 and 155 homers, with a significant 44 of those coming last year.
Gimenez records a career batting average of .261 along with 49 home runs across five MLB seasons. His career slugging percentage is .393, trailing behind that of Bichette (.466), Guerrero (.500), and Santander (.469).
“I like what he’s been doing with his at-bats during spring training and his ability to drive the ball again,” Schneider said. “I’m not expecting him to hit 40 homers. The lineup spots are becoming clearer.”
The lineup changes were partly necessitated by the placement of outfielder Daulton Varsho on the 10-day injured list before the opener. Varsho, who has undergone surgery on his right shoulder, had the IL assignment retroactively set to Monday.
In preparation for the season, the Blue Jays made several strategic roster moves, including the selection of rookie right fielder Alan Roden, who was set to make his MLB debut batting ninth. Roden had an impressive spring training, showcasing a .407 batting average, two home runs, and six RBIs over 20 games.
“I’m excited for Alan and everything he’s achieved,” Schneider expressed. “I told him after the workout yesterday that he was ready. He seemed calm about it, saying, ‘Yeah, all right, see you tomorrow.’”
While nervousness is expected for the rookie, Schneider is confident in his preparedness. The Blue Jays also included outfielder Myles Straw and right-handed pitcher Jacob Barnes in their opening day roster. In contrast, right-handed pitchers Ryan Burr and Erik Swanson were both placed on the 15-day IL due to health issues.
Additionally, pitchers Tommy Nance, Zach Pop, and Nick Robertson were designated for assignment as part of the pre-season adjustments.
Source
globalnews.ca