Blue Jays Set Two Huge Rehab Assignment Dates for Injured Pitchers

The Toronto Blue Jays are beset by injuries, but the two rehab assignments set this week could bring reinforcements soon.

A general view of the Toronto Blue Jays logo. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays have been dealing with injuries since before the regular season started. On Tuesday they revealed some encouraging news about two injured pitchers.

The Blue Jays announced that rookie Trey Yesavage will make his third injury rehab start on Wednesday at Triple-A Buffalo. He made his first two rehab starts at Class A Dunedin, which means Toronto feels good enough about his progress to start him against a line-up with some Major League experience in it.

The other good news was that the Blue Jays set José Berríos’ first rehab start for Thursday in Dunedin. Combined, it's good news for a starting rotation that has been beat up all season.

Blue Jays Next Rehab Starts

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Yesavage and the Blue Jays are targeting a four-inning start, or 65 pitches, for Wednesday, per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. He also reported that it could be his last rehab start before returning to Toronto.

In his last rehab start he threw 2.2 innings, gave up four hits, four runs and allowed a walk against six strikeouts. He threw 52 pitches in that rehab start, up from 44 starts in his first rehab game. A 65-pitch start with Buffalo would likely set him up for an 80-pitch debut with Toronto next week.

Toronto put him on the injured list on March 25 with a right shoulder impingement. He suffered the injury during spring training and slowed his build-up to make his season debut. Before the injury, he was considered a candidate for American League rookie of the year.

Berríos is expected to go three innings for Dunedin on Thursday, per Matheson. The Blue Jays are reportedly targeting a three-inning, 50-pitch outing. That’s an ambitious first step for him, as he went on the shelf with a right elbow stress fracture that put him on the 15-day IL to start the season.

If he goes through the same rehab path as Yesavage, he could be ready to re-join the rotation in early May.

The Blue Jays have other pitchers on the injured list, some of whom could be back as early as next month.

Right-hander Shane Bieber is on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation and is eligible to return in late May. He's currently throwing bullpen sessions at the team's facility in Dunedin, Fla.

The Blue Jays hope to get right-handed pitcher Yimi Garcia back soon from the 15-day IL as he’s throwing bullpen sessions in Dunedin as he recovers from elbow surgery last year.

One pitcher who is unlikely to return is starter Cody Ponce, who is on the 60-day IL after he underwent surgery earlier this month for a right knee ACL sprain.