Toronto Blue Jays' Valuable Reliever Set to Begin Important Rehab Assignment

Erik Swanson has been sidelined all season with a forearm issue, but he's set to play for High-A Dunedin on Tuesday as he works his way back.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Erik Swanson (50) throws to the plate during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in 2024. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson will begin his rehab assignment on Tuesday night with High-A Dunedin. He's working back from a forearm issue that has kept him on the injured list all season thus far.

Shi Davidi of Sportsnet had the information on social media:

John Schneider says starter tomorrow not finalized yet but “it will be some kind of bullpen game.”

Other Blue Jays notes:

▪️ Erik Swanson begins rehab assignment at single-A Dunedin tonight

▪️Max Scherzer threw off the mound again, a few more pitches, positive baby steps

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) April 29, 2025

Swanson is coming off a disastrous 2024 season that saw him go 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA. He was even demoted to the minor leagues, throwing in just 45 big-league games, which was a far cry from the 69 he appeared in in 2023.

A six-year veteran of the Seattle Mariners and Blue Jays, he was acquired by Toronto in a trade before the 2023 season. Even though his 2024 was rough, the Jays are counting on him to come back and regain a powerful spot in the bullpen.

After finishing as one of the lowest-rated units in baseball last year, the Jays went out and signed veteran Yimi Garcia and hard-thrower Jeff Hoffman, with the latter serving as the team's closer. Swanson should add to that duo.

Toronto enters play on Tuesday at 13-15 overall. They are in fourth place in the American League East. They'll play host to the 16-14 Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre with first pitch coming at 7:07 p.m. ET.

Bowden Francis will pitch for Toronto while Garrett Crochet goes for Boston. Crochet, an All-Star in 2024, was acquired by the Red Sox this past offseason. He's 2-2 with a 1.95 ERA. Francis is 2-3 with a 3.58.

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