How different will this year’s Blue Jays' Opening Day lineup be compared to last year’s?

Spring training started this week, which can only mean one thing — the start of the MLB regular season is almost here. While the regular season technically starts on March 18 with the Tokyo Series between the Cubs and Dodgers, the rest of MLB (the Blue Jays included) will start their seasons Opening Day on March 27. 

The Blue Jays open their season with a home game against the Baltimore Orioles in a game that will serve as the debut for their new-look lineup.

To show just how much of a new-look it could be, we decided to compare what we think Toronto's Opening Day lineup will look like (at this juncture) compared to what its Opening Day lineup looked like last year.

How different will the Blue Jays Opening Day lineup look this year? 

Toronto’s 2024 Opening Day lineup vs. Rays

1. George Springer (RF): 1-for-4, HR
2. Vladimir Gurrerro Jr. (1B): 1-for-5, HR
3. Bo Bichette (SS): 2-for-4, 2B
4. Justin Turner (DH): 0-for-4
5. Daulton Varsho (LF): 0-for-3
6. Alejandro Kirk (C): 1-for-3
7. Kevin Kiermaier (CF): 1-for-3
8. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (3B): 0-for-4
9. Cavan Biggio (2B): 1-for-2, HR

Toronto’s projected 2025 Opening Day lineup

1. George Springer (CF)
2. Vladimir Gurrerro Jr. (1B)
3. Anthony Santander (RF)
4. Bo Bichette (SS)
5. Andrés Giménez (2B)
6. Davis Schneider (LF)
7. Will Wagner (DH)
8. Alejandro Kirk (C)
9. Ernie Clement (3B)

In: Andrés Giménez, Anthony Santander, Will Wagner, Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes

Out: Justin Turner, Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Cavan Biggio

While the Blue Jays could be facing off against Zach Eflin for the second straight year (Eflin started on Opening Day for the Rays last year and now is in line to start for the Orioles this year) this year’s lineup looks a little different. 

The biggest change will be the addition of Santander, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract to serve as insurance for Gurrerro. He’s a natural fit between Gurrerro and Bichette in the batting order. 

The other big change is the addition of Giménez, who came to Toronto in an offseason trade with the Guardians. While Giménez mostly hit second in the lineup in Cleveland, it remains to be seen what spot in the order he’ll occupy in John Schneider’s lineup.

He’s hit .600 in his career against Eflin with a home run, so we slotted him in at the No. 5 spot after the big boppers.

He’ll replace Biggio, who had a solid showing on Opening Day last year with an incredible tag in the field in the fifth inning followed by a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning.

Elsewhere, we’ve replaced Varsho with Schneider since there’s a chance that Varsho could start the year on the injured list as he recovers from rotator cuff surgery. While Nathan Lukes would be a left-handed option against the right-handed pitching Eflin, Schneider is 3-for-6 in his career against Eflin with a double.  

This could also be a spot where the team elects to start Alan Roden in center if they choose to be aggressive in his promotion. 

We’ve got Wagner making the start at DH after he hit everything in sight during his promotion last year. He has a player in front of him at every position he plays, but the Blue Jays should do everything in their power to get his bat in the lineup. 

Although Clement played in 139 games for the Blue Jays last season, he wasn’t in the Opening Day lineup, That won’t be the case this year, barring some unforeseen development. Clement was a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman last year and a professional at-bat at the bottom of the lineup.

Regardless of whoever ends up winning the battle for some of the spots that are up in the air, it's clear that this year's lineup has more bite than the lineup the Blue Jays opened the season with last year.

We'll have to wait until the end of March to see if that bite translates to success on the field.