Blue Jays Injury Report Includes Encouraging Updates on Two All-Stars
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Toronto opened a four game set against the New York Yankees on Monday after taking the weekend series against the Detroit Tigers. They received some good offense, including from Daulton Varsho, who hit a walk-off grand slam to help take the Tigers series.
The Blue Jays also made their first notable trade of the season, dealing left-hander Eric Lauer to the reigning champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Prior to the opener against New York, Toronto gave a number of updates on players who are making their way back from the injured list. With 12 players currently on the shelf, including three everyday contributors in the lineup, the Jays could use all the help they could get as a team under .500.
Scherzer, Lukes Set to Rehab While Kirk Catches, Hits
There were updates on seven different players, some good news and some not so good. According to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic (subscription required), José Berríos is having surgery on Wednesday and Addison Barger is waiting for clearance from a doctor to start hitting and throwing.
Barger's absence has been a pretty big blow for the team, and it doens't seem that he's nearing playing soon.
That said, there was more good news than bad.
Max Scherzer threw a 22-pitch bullpen on Monday and "felt good." He's set for another on Wednesday and Toronto will reasses from there. He'll likely need some rehab before returning, however.
Both Yimi Garcia and Shane Bieber will throw on Tuesday. Garcia will throw a bullpen and Bieber will face live hitters and throw 30 pitches.
On the offensive side of the ball, it seems that the Jays will be getting reinforcements sooner rather than later in the form of Alejandro Kirk and Nathan Lukes.
Lukes, who has been on the shelf since April 25, is set to appear in rehab games beginning on Tuesday, According to Bannon, he will DH his first game with Single-A Dunedin before playing the outfield the next couple games. An exact date for Lukes' return has not been reported, but it is encouraging news.
Kirk "continues to progress," according to the report, and has already caught one of Shane Bieber's side sessions. The All-Star catcher has been catching, throwing and hitting, but is not taking full batting practice due to "feeling his thumb a bit when hitting."
By the end of the week, Toronto will know more when it comes to the timeline of Kirk's rehab.
A lot of updates and some reinforcements on the horizon, but the Blue Jays have some ground to make up in the division sitting 10 games out of the division lead.
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