Brett Lawrie is batting just .146 over his last 41 at-bats.

The Blue Jays had been trying Lawrie in the leadoff spot, but, after hitting .135 (5-for-37) when batting first, he was moved down to the No. 6 spot for Thursday's game. Lawrie did have an RBI single in his first at-bat Thursday but was then retired in his next three plate appearances. "We're just trying to simplify things," hitting coach Chad Mottola said. "The way he works, he's fast-twitch and he tends to try to do more when he starts struggling and thinks that's going to help. So we're just trying to calm him down, teach him ways to calm him down."

Brett Lawrie is batting leadoff on Sunday versus the Yankees.

Lawrie has spent most of the season in the seventh or eighth spots, but he has five hits -- including two homers -- over his last three games, so the Blue Jays are moving him up. It gives Lawrie a little bump in fantasy value.

Brett Lawrie will start at third base in his his season debut Tuesday against the White Sox.

Lawrie played second base during his minor league rehab assignment, but Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Monday that the club plans to mostly use him at his standard third base. There's a chance that he could be mixed in at second base every once in a while as the team attempts to get by without Jose Reyes (ankle) in the lineup.