Injuries & Moves: Bichette (calf) out 'multiple weeks'
LATEST NEWS
July 20: SS Bo Bichette (right calf strain) placed on 10-day IL; 3B/OF Addison Barger recalled from Triple-A
Bolting out of the box in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday night against the Tigers, Bichette pulled up while running and was in clear pain as he left the game. Bichette has been dealing with right calf issues for a while now, most recently in San Francisco, when he was removed from a game on July 10, but did not require an IL stint, but this one is more serious. An MRI on Saturday revealed a "moderate" strain and Bichette is expected to miss "multiple weeks". More >>
Barger, the Blue Jays' No. 6 prospect, has struggled in his first two stints in the big leagues (9-for-60, .361 OPS), but now has a chance to stick for the remainder of the season given Bichette's injury and the likelihood of trades at the July 30 Deadline.
July 19: RHP Yimi García activated from 15-day IL; RHP Erik Swanson recalled from Triple-A; RHP Zach Pop optioned to Triple-A
García rejoins the Blue Jays' bullpen, and for the time being, they can certainly use him. Toronto's relievers have struggled of late, and while García could be traded ahead of the July 30 Trade Deadline, his return is good news for the organization regardless of how that shakes out.
Swanson, who was optioned to Triple-A in late May, posted an 11.15 ERA in Buffalo over 15 1/3 innings since his demotion, but his numbers have settled down a bit after some particularly rough outings in June. Swanson was expected to be a key piece of the Blue Jays' bullpen entering the season, pitching in the seventh and eighth innings, but has struggled with control and home runs. Now, Swanson has the final two-plus months to get back on track and set himself up well for 2025.
July 19: LHP Ricky Tiedemann getting second opinion on elbow
Toronto's No. 1 prospect left his first start back in Triple-A with left forearm tightness and the Blue Jays are still gathering information on his throwing elbow, manager John Schneider said prior to Friday's game in Toronto. In a perfect world, the Blue Jays could allow Tiedemann to get his feet wet down the stretch in 2024 to set him up for a big '25 season, but they need him healthy first. Another update on Tiedemann is expected in the coming days.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
SS Bo Bichette (right calf strain)
Expected return: Potentially mid-to-late August
Bichette injured his calf running out of the box on July 19 and pulled up in obvious pain. Bichette has already spent time on the IL this season with a right calf strain and tweaked it again on July 10 in San Francisco. This time, an MRI has revealed a "moderate" strain and Bichette will miss "multiple weeks", manager John Schneider said. A clearer picture of Bichette's timeline should present itself as the calendar turns to August. (Last updated: July 21)
INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (left knee sprain)
Expected return: Potentially late July to early August
Kiner-Falefa felt something in his knee while stretching on July 1, and after being a last-minute scratch for that day's game, an MRI showed a sprain. He's starting to ramp up baseball activities coming out of the All-Star break, though, and the coming days should help the Blue Jays chart out a timeline for his return. Kiner-Falefa has become a very important piece of this team, so even if the Blue Jays aren't in contention, they'd like to have him back out there getting regular reps as the build toward 2025 continues. (Last updated: July 19)
LHP Ricky Tiedemann (left elbow, No. 1 on Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects list)
Expected return: TBD
Tiedemann worked his way back from ulnar nerve inflammation in his left elbow, but in his first start back with Triple-A Buffalo, he left with what was described at the time as left forearm tightness. Now he's getting a second opinion on his elbow, manager John Schneider said on July 19 in Toronto, and is back on the Minor League IL. The Blue Jays are still gathering information, but it's been a difficult season for Tiedemann, who could benefit from some big league exposure down the stretch if he's back on the mound. (Last updated: July 19)
RHP Jordan Romano (right elbow impingement, arthroscopic surgery)
Expected return: Potentially by end of 2024
Romano's elbow wasn't "bouncing back" as well as he'd hoped, and initial tests revealed inflammation. Romano tried to ramp back up twice, but his elbow was not cooperating and a visit to Dr. Keith Meister ended with Romano undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair an impingement in that elbow. Romano will now be shut down from throwing for at least six weeks, at which point the Blue Jays will evaluate the best path forward. For now, they are considering this a season-ending injury, but a return remains a real possibility. (Last updated: July 3)
RHP Alek Manoah (right UCL surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Manoah underwent successful right UCL reconstructive surgery with an internal brace on June 17 and is expected to rejoin the Blue Jays in Toronto soon. Manoah left his start on May 29 after feeling a "pinchy" sensation in his right elbow. He was "guarding" his elbow earlier in that start, but the discomfort arose when he began to fully extend his elbow through pitches. (Last updated: June 18)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
LHP Brandon Barriera (Tommy John surgery, No. 4 on Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects list)
Expected return: 2025
Barriera's agent announced in late April that the 20-year-old lefty had undergone Tommy John surgery with an internal brace to repair a Grade 2 UCL tear and was placed on the Minor League season-ending injured list. The Blue Jays' No. 4 prospect will miss the rest of the 2024 season and likely part of the 2025 season, though that timeline should be clearer early next year.
This is another difficult setback for the Blue Jays' first-round pick from 2022. Barriera was shut down after the Draft that year, dealt with injuries in 2023 and is now done for '24, leaving him with just 21 2/3 pro innings under his belt. Barriera had impressed in camp and was touching 97 mph regularly, but for now, he'll focus on the rehab process and attempt to come back strong in his age-21 season. (Last updated: May 17)