Daulton Varsho's Injury Status Could Create Big Opportunity for Blue Jays Rookie
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The Toronto Blue Jays will look to put the horrible outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night behind them, which finished 13-3 in favor of the O's. However, other than losing the game, another important update came from the Friday night affair regarding outfielder Daulton Varsho.
Varsho was removed from the game after one at-bat for Toronto due to left wrist inflammation, something that manager John Schneider has disclosed Varsho has been dealing with. While the X-Rays were negative, Schneider said, “Hopefully it's just a day or two. Just want to be careful," via Shi Davidi on X.
According to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, Varsho's injury is familiar to him, and it's been something he's dealt with since his days with the Arizona Diamondbacks. If all goes well, Varsho could be back in the starting lineup as soon as Sunday.
But before the good news surrounding Varsho, coming into the game Friday to replace him was rookie outfielder Yohendrick Pinango, who got one hit in three at-bats against Baltimore. With Varsho now on day-to-day status, it leads some to look much farther ahead on what his future looks like in Toronto with the Blue Jays, with free agency pending at season's end.
Pinango's Opportunity to Shine From Here on Out
Pinango broke onto the scene in 2026 for the Blue Jays, proving he's got the natural gift of a professional hitter with some untapped power he can lean into. Thus far, Pinango has smashed three home runs, has driven in 16 RBIs, and holds a .751 OPS along with a .293 AVG.
Baseball is a game of opportunities, and while no fan or teammate likes to see Varsho go down, this opportunity has to be one that Pinango capitalizes on. Toronto's Gold Glover in Varsho is set to hit free agency this winter, and it's moments like this for Pinango where he can sway the front office's mind.
Keep in mind, in no way, shape, or form has there been talk about losing Varsho this offseason. It's still June, but with the injury history he's had in the past and the Blue Jays' increasing payroll, there will have to be cuts made to someone. It could be Varsho should Pinango prove to step up time and time again.
Defensively, Pinango is no Varsho, but that's something that the Blue Jays are hopeful he can improve with the more reps he gets. That could be a key statistic when contract negotiations roll around.
Sure, Pinango might be a corner outfielder by trade, but even so, with Varsho day-to-day, he should be getting reps in the outfield. You know what they say: if you can hit, you'll find a spot in any MLB starting lineup, and that's all Pinango has done this year.
The only focus that anyone on the roster should have right now is to find ways to win, because the AL East is becoming more and more competitive as the season continues. Entering game two against Baltimore, the Blue Jays rank fourth in the standings and have played .500 baseball over their last 10 games.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.