George Springer teammates after 13 pitches in winning the Blue Jays

CLEVELAND – If it weren’t for the ballpark timer, George Springer might still be on.

Springer needed 13 runs, nine swings and eight fouls to start his home run, tied for the longest hit ending on a long ball by a Blue Jays hitter since 2000.

It came in only the second appearance of the game and was the only offense in the Blue Jays’ 1-0 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field, after losing 1-0 and winning 3-1 to open the series. These are two baseball teams stuck on football scores, which isn’t going to work for the Blue Jays long-term, but the signs of life from last week’s Springer Plus are encouraging.

“He came in and said, ‘Okay, I’m fine, those three batters were right there,'” manager John Schneider said. “It’s a combination of approach and talent, obviously. It’s about messing up pitches and ruling out hard pitches. Most likely change [Guardians starter Logan] Allen’s best secondary pitch, so he laid off those in the area, got a bid in the area and didn’t miss it. This is a really good player who has a really solid approach.”

Springer was one of the many Blue Jays caught in a blackout this season. Much like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., there was a lot of close contact along the way, but he didn’t turn out to be productive on the field nearly as consistently. Springer’s .398 slugging percentage ranks near the bottom of Blue Jays regulars, including Kevin Kiermaier.

The marathon bat against Allen was a snap from Springer at his best. His combination of plate approach and power, mixed with the ability to deflect some pitches, is what has made him one of MLB’s most dynamic hitters over the past decade. You can hear this avant-garde mentality when the bat breaks.

“After committing a lot of close-range balls, I knew I had done my job,” said Springer. “I got deeper into the count and was able to give the guys a longer look at him to see how he throws, the speed of it all. Honestly, I was trying to get to first base. I wasn’t really trying to do much, but I was able to hit a homer.”

Springer’s identity in this role has always been the “power-hitting lead”. His 56 home runs ranks him second in MLB history, putting him close to Rickey Henderson’s 81st. By getting to 0 for 35.

White Merrifield filled in great and got the gig, but as Schneider likes to say, “George is what gets us going” when the Blue Jays are playing the baseball they want.

This must have been stressful for Allen as well, which Kevin Gusman appreciated as he followed through.

“As a pitcher, you usually get to the point where you’re like, ‘Just get on base already,’” Gusman said. “When they hit a home run, you’re obviously very pissed off. It ended up being a big race for us and the deciding factor in the game. George has put in a great week here.”

Schneider did not waver in his support of Springer, even as he changed line-ups. Ideally, this is a temporary thing, and nights like this get him back on track.

“He’s been George for a long time,” Schneider said. “I think it’s just a little evening.”

You can get smaller, however, and the Blue Jays need more. Much more.

Gausman was again outstanding, pitching seven shutout innings, but rarely had any form of run support. The Blue Jays took two of Cleveland’s first three, but scored only four combined runs over those games and couldn’t capitalize on the bases loaded and not out on Wednesday. It’s admirable to keep winning, but offensive displays like this won’t get you anywhere in October.

For all of this to click in time, though, the Blue Jays will need this group to function as a living, breathing unit, rather than a one-man show that relies on its over-the-top, overworked crew.