Injured in Game 3, Springer in too much pain to return

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider helps George Springer off the field with an injury during Game 3. Springer was not in the lineup for Game 4. Photo by Ashley Landis / The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Blue Jays manager John Schneider tried to play it coy with the status of his leadoff hitter, George Springer, but you could tell his heart wasn’t in it. Article content

And sure enough, Springer was not in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s Game 4 of the World Series with an undisclosed injury to his right side or back. Article content Article content

Springer exited Game 3 on Tuesday after clearly feeling pain from a swing and did not return. In a meeting with select Toronto media three hours prior to first pitch, Schneider described Springer’s status as “hour-to-hour, day