Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer leaves the game with an injury during the seventh inning in Game 3 of the World Series.Brynn Anderson/The Associated Press
George Springer’s status for Game 4 of the World Series is uncertain after he left Monday’s game with an injury.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Springer was sent for an MRI after he was removed from the game in the top of the seventh inning in Game 3 in obvious discomfort.
“We’ll see how it comes back and see how he wakes up tomorrow,” Schneider said following the Blue Jays 18-inning loss to the Dodgers. “But it sucks. He’s obviously a huge part of our lineup. Glad I got him out when I did and hopefully it didn’t make anything worse, but we’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Springer was pulled from the game after he appeared to injure his back following through on a swing.
With the scored tied at 4, Springer was leading off the top of the seventh inning when he took a cut at the first pitch he saw from Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski and fouled it off.
Blue Jays come out on wrong end of marathon World Series Game 3 loss
As he followed through, Springer winced and immediately walked toward the dugout as he called for a trainer. He was removed from the game and replaced by Ty France.
Losing Springer would be a huge setback for the Blue Jays. He’s their leadoff man and one their most dependable day-to-day players. Springer had an injury scare once already in these playoffs. In the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, he took a pitch off the right knee and collapsed to the ground in pain. He came out of that game, but didn’t miss any additional time, though Schneider has said Springer is playing banged up.
Against Seattle, Mariners fans cheered as Springer was helped off the field. Against L.A., Dodgers fans did the same each time he came to the plate, and continued to do so as he walked toward the dugout nursing an injury.
Fans have a dislike for Springer because he played on the 2017 Houston Astros team, which was found to have cheated by stealing signs from opposing teams. They beat the Dodgers in the final that year. Springer was named the World Series MVP.