A new role could be in store for George Springer this year

This year is an important one for George Springer. So important that he's willing to consider a positional change to attempt to help the Blue Jays.

In speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Springer would see some time in left field this season, a sentiment that Springer himself then confirmed.

New free agent signing Anthony Santander played 130 games in right field last season for the Baltimore Orioles, so having him and his new five-year, $92.5 million contract in right field might be the better move compared to what's left of Springer's $150 million deal.

It's nice to see Springer making an effort to have Santander feel comfortable in his transition from Baltimore to Toronto, with his position being a welcome gift of sorts. Santander's contract is the largest contract the Jays' front office doled out since Springer's, so it's important for "Tony Taters" to get his feet planted at a comfortable position in Toronto.

Springer's applying that flexibility to his position in the lineup as well.

"My job is to do whatever I can to help us win, whether that’s hitting first, second, fifth, fourth," Springer said per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. “I don’t care. I’m going to be the same guy. I’m going to be the hitter I know how to be. I will do anything to help us win, so I’m excited about it.”

It's nice to see a veteran like Springer being flexible in his everyday positioning while he's also dealing with some uncertainty about his future.

Even with all the offseason moves, FanGraphs still has Toronto finishing in last in the American League East, and a resurgence from Springer could go a long way toward keeping the Blue Jays out of the basement.

Springer has only played left field once in MLB, so it would likely be a bit of a change for him. Baseball Savant graded Springer as having a Run Value of -3 in the outfield last season — the same grade they gave Santander. While neither of these guys are in contention for the Platinum Glove, they should be able to hold their own in the corners.

Springer started his Blue Jays tenure as a well-above average offensive producer before his numbers took a nosedive last season when he posted a slash line of .220/.303/.371 with 19 home runs and 16 stolen bases.

George was worth -1 Outs Above Average in right field last season, his lowest since he posted a -2 at the position in 2017. But it's his offensive downturn that's more cause for concern, and hopefully a shift to a less-demanding outfield position gives him more time to work getting his hitting back where it needs to be.

He's finished in the 90th percentile in maximum exit velocity in every season except for 2024, which lines up with his decline in statistical production.

Springer's willingness to play any role for the Jays this season is indicative of type of leader he is.

Springer might be on the last legs of his time with the Blue Jays, but his effort to continue to help this team succeed in any way possible is worth much more than can be quantified. On a team with plenty of young talent, a veteran stepping up can mean a lot and hopefully this new opportunity results in an uptick in production for Springer.