Blue Jays Provide Updates on Three Injured Starting Pitchers
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been getting by with an injury-marred, razor-thin starting rotation of late. While it hasn't slowed their push for the third and final AL wild card spot, it is far from ideal to have to lean so heavily on 42-year-old Max Scherzer and multiple bullpen days every time through the rotation.
Suffice it to say, there was no shortage of attention on the Blue Jays as they announced updates to a trio of their injured starters before the club's 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon.
Although the return of a fully healthy starting unit isn't yet imminent for Toronto, there were encouraging updates offered on Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jameson Taillon.
Reinforcements Coming As Blue Jays Pitchers Continue to Get Healthy
The return of Yesavage from left knee surgery would carry the biggest impact on the starters and things are trending - gradually - in that direction. Manager Davis Schneider told assembled media on Thursday that the 23-year-old is scheduled to throw off a mound at Dunedin on Friday, an encouraging step towards rejoining the rotation.
Schneider was quick to note the multi-step process involved in Yesavage's comeback. The rookie right-hander will have at least one more mound session, then pitch to live batters and then, if all goes well, will be slotted into at least one rehab game. Schneider expressed optimism that Yesavage could return at some point this season, but that timeline would point to a late regular season appearance along with potential playoff availability.
Bieber, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 21 with right shoulder inflammation, isn't quite as far along as Yesavage. Schneider noted that he was supposed to play catch on Thursday but has no hard timeline. Still, the Blue Jays skipper expressed hope that he could be available to the team as a possible postseason addition.
Adding Yesavage and/or Bieber would be a huge shot in the arm for Toronto. Yesavage was sporting a 5-5 record with a 3.65 ERA and 91 strikeouts before his injury. Of course, he was a revelation for the club last fall, going 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA and 39 strikeouts in just 27.2 innings of work during the 2025 postseason. Bieber, meanwhile, was sidelined amidst some of his best outings of the season, allowing just one earned run across 13 innings over his last two pre-injury starts.
Fortunately for the Blue Jays, the anticipated return of Taillon in time for Friday night's game in Kansas City should help the team's starting depth. The former Chicago Cub allowed just one hit over four innings in his last start for Toronto before exiting due to right forearm discomfort. Incorporating him into the rotation takes at least some of the pressure off the likes of Spencer Arrighetti and Spencer Miles.
The news on Yesavage, Bieber and Taillon is unlikely to satisfy many Blue Jays fans, nor will it change the team's level of reliance on Dylan Cease and José Soriano for the time being. What it does, however, is keep hope alive that pitching help will come, whether that's a breakthrough for Taillon or a key late-season return from Yesavage and/or Bieber.
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Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.