TORONTO -- It'd be easy for David Eckstein to say he feels some pressure in his current role with the Blue Jays. Over the offseason, Toronto handed him a one-year contract and asked him to immediately step in as the club's starting shortstop and leadoff man.

During Spring Training, and in Toronto's season-opening series against New York, Eckstein labored at the plate. The 33-year-old veteran said that his struggles had everything to do with mechanics and nothing to do with any pressure that he was feeling.

"No, no, nothing like that," Eckstein said on Saturday. "It's just making sure I get into my correct position. The past two days, I got a little bit better, since I've been making sure my legs are underneath me and I'm taking better passes at the ball."

On Saturday, Eckstein -- signed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal in December -- was instrumental in helping Toronto seal a decisive 10-2 victory over Boston at Rogers Centre. The shortstop collected three RBIs between a pair of critical base hits -- one during a three-run fourth inning and another in the Jays' six-run sixth.

Eckstein's performance stood out in light of his subpar showing during the Blue Jays' three games against the Yankees in New York earlier in the week. During that series, Eckstein went 2-for-13 at the plate -- only hitting one ball out of the infield. He grounded out nine times, hit into two double plays and struck out once.

Eckstein, who also hit just .216 in 20 spring games, looked much more comfortable in the batter's box against the Red Sox on Saturday.

"It was a matter of time," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He got off to a slow, slow start there in New York, but he's a guy who can make things happen. He puts a tough at-bat on every time he gets up there and, regardless of whether he gets a hit or not, he executes with the best of them."