Blue Jays Make Franchise History as Outfield Injuries Mount

The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-4, on Tuesday night. But it came at a potential cost to their outfield depth.

At the same time, they set a franchise record.

According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet, the Blue Jays used four different center fielders in Tuesday’s game, which set a team record for the position. He also posted to X (formerly Twitter) that the Detroit Tigers used five center fielders in a game back in 2000.

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So how did this happen? Injuries, of course.

Toronto started Jonathan Clase in center. The Blue Jays are already without their starting center fielder, Daulton Varsho, who is on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season.

In the fourth inning, Clase was batting and was hit by a pitch. After an injury delay, he remained in the game and took his base. After Bo Bichette flew out to end the fourth, Toronto took Clase out of the game and replaced him with Myles Straw.

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The Blue Jays later released that Clase suffered a right knee contusion.

So, Straw took over until the fifth inning when he was injured. Arizona’s Josh Naylor hit a shot over Straw’s head in center field. As he gave chase and tried to catch it, he missed the ball and slammed into the wall. Naylor ended up with a double and Straw went to the ground.

He was removed from the game and replaced by Alan Roden. The Blue Jays later released that Straw left the game with a right ankle sprain.

In the seventh inning, the Blue Jays opted to pinch-hit for Roden with Davis Schneider, who flew out. That took Roden out of the game.

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But Schneider didn’t replace him in center field. He went out to left to start the eighth inning and slid Will Robertson over to center field to take Roden’s spot.

Toronto ended the game in that defensive alignment.

The Blue Jays are bleeding outfield depth. Along with Varsho — who is on the IL with a hamstring injury — they are without Anthony Santander, who has a shoulder injury, and Nathan Lukes, who is on the 7-day concussion injury list. Lukes is set to start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday.

Depending upon the conditions of Clase and Straw, it’s possible he could return sooner.

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