Catcher Danny Jansen suffered a right hamstring strain that forced him out of Sunday’s 6-3 Blue Jays loss to the Astros. Jansen was hurt running the bases trying to beat out a fielder’s choice in the third inning, and Reese McGuire took over at catcher for the top of the fourth. Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson and other reporters that Jansen would receive tests both yesterday and today to determine the extent of the strain.
With Alejandro Kirk already on the 60-day injured list, losing Jansen to the IL would leave Toronto with a catching depth chart of McGuire and (in all likelihood) Riley Adams, who is hitting .250/.410/.600 over 78 plate appearances at Triple-A this season. Adams had never played at the Triple-A level prior to this season, and he doesn’t officially have any big league experience — the Blue Jays called Adams up for a three-day cup of coffee on the active roster in early May, though Adams didn’t appear in any games. While McGuire is the more experienced option, his struggles at the plate over the last two seasons would perhaps mean that McGuire and Adams would be deployed in a platoon, as the youngster’s Triple-A production certainly seems to warrant a look against Major League pitching.
More from the Jays…
- George Springer is making “extremely encouraging” progress in his recovery from a quad strain, GM Ross Atkins told reporters (including Matheson, TSN’s Scott Mitchell and Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling) as part of a series of updates on injured Blue Jays players. Springer has been performing running drills over the last two days, and Atkins implied that the outfielder is “very close” to heading out on a minor league rehab assignment. This is Springer’s second quad injury of the season, and combined with those injuries and an oblique issue, the prized free agent signing has appeared in only four games in 2021.
- Speaking of rehab assignments, Cavan Biggio began his assignment at Triple-A yesterday. A cervical spine ligament sprain sent Biggio to the 10-day IL on May 22, but it looks like he’ll be able to rejoin the Jays sometime this week. The injury absence has underlined an overall tough season for Biggio, who has a -0.3 fWAR through 39 games and 151 PA due to a lack of hitting (.205/.315/.315) and some defensive struggles as Toronto’s regular third baseman.
- Thomas Hatch threw two scoreless innings for Triple-A Buffalo yesterday, as the right-hander resumed a rehab assignment after missing two weeks with what Atkins described as “mild tightness in his side.” Hatch is working his way back from an elbow impingement suffered during Spring Training that has kept the righty out of any Major League action this season. Hatch worked 16 of 17 games as a reliever in his 2020 rookie season, but Atkins said the team is still planning to build Hatch up as a starter.
- Ryan Borucki is on the verge of beginning a throwing program, and is no longer feeling any pain in his forearm. A left flexor strain went Borucki to the injured list in mid-May, representing yet another injury setback for a southpaw who missed most of the 2019 due to elbow issues.
Kirk is on the 60. I really hope Borucki can come back as he’d really help late inning situations and push Mayza down into a less leverage roll.
Agreed. Merryweather back would be nice too, I think I heard late June for him
Montoyo said a week ago that Merryweather isn’t even close to returning.
Borucki needs to bulk up again. His tissues can’t take the max effort over and over he is asking of his body.
Hatch is a keeper. #3 in the rotation.
Hopefully Biggio comes back and fixes the massive hole in his swing. His hands are so fast on the swing, he’d be awesome. The Jays would be good to find a permanent position for him. I don’t think 3rd base is it. Gurriel Jr should try 3rd.
Jansen’s loss is no big deal. Bring up Adams or Moreno. Let’s see what they can do.
Why would you put a guy like Gurriel, who is now so comfortable in the OF and has an amazing arm back to the infield where he struggled mightily? Having him relearn an infield position after he has become comfortable in the OF is a recipe for disaster, not only for his defence but for his bat. He’d have to focus extensive time learning 3B and that’ll effect his hitting because he will be less so focused on that. Horrible, horrible idea.
I agree with Jimmer that Gurriel should be converted to 3rd. His path to batted balls is below average and his outfield assists is biasing his defensive ability. There’s no room for him when the high priced signing comes back to the lineup.
I’m not advocating moving him to 3rd but he is not a good outfielder. So there is no reason to use that as an argument. If anything you leave him in LF because it is the easier position.
He’5 going to sit once he-who-should-not-be-named is back. Do we need to see the rest of season with the pathetic Panik/Biggio/Espinal manning the power hitting hot corner. Then we’ll be talking early about the Raptors.
JAysforLife and those that agreed with him.: Gurriel Jr is a terrible outfielder. He runs poor routes, get’s twisted around on catches. If it wasn’t for his arm his metrics would be awful. The pitchers gulp when the ball is hit to him because they don’t know if he is going to catch it.
I suggest trying him at third. Maybe he can make the throw better than SS. He has more than enough arm. Long-term he is not staying in LF.
How much farther down the defensive spectrum can you go from LF? 1B I guess? But that’s kind of locked up. Maybe if he plays multiple positions, you can hide him a bit depending on who is pitching.
Yeah I agree. Gurriel is pretty overrated in my opinion.
His routes are bad and I’m not a huge fan of him offensively either. I think it’s a pitch recognition thing but he swings at a lot of off speed pitches off the plate early in the count.
He’s always been more of a fit as a super utility guy in my mind. Last year he had a great run… but I’m afraid that could be the high water mark for his career.
Did anyone see Gurriel Jr butcher the first inning flyball against the white Sox June 10th? Gurriel is terrible.
There’s a reason Gurriel always comes out of the game in the 9th when they have a lead. I’d give him another year to learn better routes though, before considering another position switch.
Biggio is going to hit. If Biggio can’t field at 3B, the solution could be moving Semien over there so Biggio can play 2B.
Gurriel is a good arm and bad outfielder defender. Have to think about next season; how to save money and how to fill holes around the field. Shifting Biggio back to 2B makes sense. When Martin is ready they will have too many outfielders. Gurriel is bad in LF with a rocket arm. Moving him to 3B ought to be considered.
Wow, another catcher on the 40-man? That would make six once Kirk returns from the 60-day IL in July.
I may be mistaken but isn’t Kirk on the 60 day IL?
While Riley Adam’s has some serious pop in his bat, he has struck out over 35%+ of the time in AA & AAA, but still has a high OBP. Will be interesting to see how he fares against major league pitching.
Interesting is a way to put it. His hbp seems to be supplementing his OBP. Im sure a lot of those walks are turning into Ks and much fewer hbps in the majors.
He looked good in spring training. But of course, that’s spring training.
Toronto should contact the LAD to see what they want for Ruiz.
Toronto should contact LAA to see what they want for Ohtani!
Austin Barnes is more in Toronto’s price range.
The Dodgers have no good reason to trade either.
If the Dodgers can get anything at all for Ohtani, they should!
Imo, I don’t think the Dodgers see Ruiz as one of their catchers of the future. Will Smith one of the best hitting catchers, if not the best, in baseball right now, and is more than useable behind the dish. They also have Diego Cartaya who’s doing extremely well.
I agree with this. They should see what they want for Rios and Ruiz
Edwin Rios is out for the year, with a knee injury, I think.
Friedman isn’t going to give up Ruiz without getting something big in return.
Will Smith can be played at 3B, Barnes at 2nd and both are righties, while Ruiz is a switch hitter.
Barnes only has 2021/2022 on his deal, and Smith isn’t up to his level on pitch framing.
Friedman has set it up to bring this young catcher up slow, and keep some cheap talent on the roster when he has to resign Bellinger, Buehler, and Will Smith in a few seasons.
Manny Machado/ Yu Darvish type of return would need to be headed to LA to get Ruiz, he’s not vlocked with the Dodgers versatility.
If this team is going to capitalize on weaker opponents the second half they are going to need another SP and reliable bullpen arm.
The trick is going to be finding non rentals
They need more than that……I think a Major League manager, a lot of luck, some healthy bodies, a lot of pitching (at least one top of the rotation arm, an innings eater, a closer and one or 2 other arms), a bat of the bench and a catcher would go along way in getting there.
Without the above they will need to look at what they are going to get for their one year contracts because right now they have 3 teams ahead of them with the Yankees sitting on their tail for the stupid WC one and done game and none of them are lying down to be jumped over. As for the division winner……baring a couple of 20 and 2 runs, that ain’t happening.
Springer, the prized free agent, also the free agent everyone is glad Toronto got stuck with. He will probably injure himself during his running drills.
Toronto should contact the New York Yankees and see what they want for the whole 40 man roster!
Which young Jays catcher is the perverted one? I get the two of them mixed up since the other one sucks too.
Reese
McGuire
He’s a decent backup tho, better than any stiff they have in the minors.
obviously no clue about the quality of catchers the Jays have stockpiled.
sorry it was just a dick joke
It’s time to tie the rope to Jansen. Overrated as a pitch framer and continuous excuses for his weak bat. Minors are full of guys like him. Give McGuire the ball until the 2 prospects Kirk and Moreno are ready.
I agree. Despite the fact that he was DFA’d, he’s come back and actually looked pretty decent on both sides of the ball.
Think Reese/Kirk platoon probably makes the most sense until Moreno is ready
Sadly, it’s an injury that’ll probably help the team. The odd thing is Jansen was always considered a bat-first prospect.
That Springer deal was never going to work out right though I honestly hope that I am wrong.
Losing Jansen may actually be a good thing NOT that I wish the kid any injury but he is a below average catcher that can’t hit. Depending on how the Blue Jays play this, it could be a really good thing IF the right person is brought in or up and given the chance to see what they can do.
Give Adams a chance and move Moreno up to AAA. Let’s see what they can do.