- Cavan Biggio could potentially return to the Blue Jays’ lineup on Sunday, manager Charlie Montoyo told MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson and other reporters. Biggio left Thursday’s game after being hit in the right hand by a line drive, though x-rays were negative and Biggio was slated to participate in batting practice and a game of catch today.
Blue Jays Rumors
Blue Jays Place Ross Stripling, Jordan Romano On 10-Day IL
The injuries continue to pile up for the Blue Jays, who announced that they’ve placed right-handers Ross Stripling and Jordan Romano on the 10-day injured list. The team recalled lefty Anthony Kay and righty Joel Payamps to take the open roster spots.
There is no word on how much time Stripling and Romano will miss, but the fact that they’re dealing with arm injuries is certainly cause for concern. Stripling has a flexor strain, while Romano has ulnar neuritis.
Stripling has been part of the Blue Jays’ rotation this season, though he has slumped to a 7.55 ERA with 13 hits allowed over 8 1/3 innings and two starts. So far, it’s the second straight tough year for Stripling, formerly a useful swingman with the Dodgers who could only muster a 5.84 ERA in 49 1/3 innings between Los Angeles and Toronto in 2020.
The loss of Romano is another serious blow to a Jays bullpen that saw fellow late-game arm Julian Merryweather go to the IL on Wednesday with an oblique strain. Kirby Yates was supposed to be Toronto’s closer this season, but he went down before it began on account of Tommy John surgery, which immediately made Romano and Merryweather logical options to save games. Merryweather won the role, but despite control problems (three walks in 3 1/3 innings), Romano has still only allowed one run and totaled four strikeouts.
Ross Stripling Dealing With Forearm Tightness
- Ross Stripling is dealing with forearm tightness, but the Blue Jays don’t have any information beyond that, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter). The former Dodger has been tagged for seven earned runs on 13 hits and three walks over 8 1/3 innings so far.
Blue Jays Place Julian Merryweather On IL, Select Anthony Castro
The Blue Jays placed right-hander Julian Merryweather on the 10-day injured list before their game Wednesday, the team announced. The Jays selected righty Anthony Castro’s contract in a corresponding move.
Merryweather is dealing with a left oblique strain – the type of injury that can lead to an extended absence. That would be a tough blow to Toronto’s bullpen, which has received excellent work from Merryweather early this season. Boasting a 98 mile per hour fastball, Merryweather has thrown 4 1/3 shutout, one-hit innings, struck out an eye-popping 50 percent of hitters and walked just 7.1 percent of batters. The 29-year-old also leads the Blue Jays with two saves. The closer role could now to either Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis or both during Merryweather’s IL stint.
Castro, 26, was an offseason waiver claim from the Tigers, whom he had been with since he first became a professional in 2012. While Castro only made one major league appearance (last year) as a Tiger, he helped the Blue Jays defeat the Yankees on Wednesday with two scoreless frames in relief.
Latest On George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez
The Blue Jays will have to continue waiting for center fielder George Springer to make his much-anticipated debut with the team. The right quad strain that Springer suffered last week is likely to shelve him until at least April 27, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports.
Toronto’s outfield will also continue to go without Teoscar Hernandez, who tested positive for COVID-19, per Scott Mitchell of TSN. Manager Charlie Montoyo said Hernandez will quarantine for 10 days, and then the Jays will re-evaluate from there.
The Blue Jays signed Springer to the offseason’s richest guarantee – six years, $150MM – though multiple injuries have dogged the former Astros standout since last month. Before going down with this quad strain, Springer was delayed by a strained oblique. At 4-6, Toronto has gotten off to a slow start without Springer, though primary center field fill-in Randal Grichuk has produced great numbers at the plate so far. The same can’t be said for backup Jonathan Davis, however.
Hernandez first went on the COVID-related injured list April 9, though it didn’t appear then that he had tested positive. Hernandez starred in 2020 with a .289/.340/.579 line and 16 home runs in 207 plate appearances, but he has slumped to a .207/.207/.310 with one HR, 14 strikeouts and no walks in 29 PA this year. Both Grichuk and Josh Palacios have seen time in right since Hernandez last played April 8.
COVID Notes: 4/12/21
The latest on coronavirus situations around baseball…
- The Blue Jays have activated Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the COVID-19 injured list, the team announced. Gurriel left Friday’s game and spent two days on the COVID-IL due to some side effects after receiving a vaccine. With Gurriel and Robbie Ray (elbow) also rejoining the roster from the 10-day injured list, infielder Santiago Espinal and right-handed reliever Joel Payamps were optioned to the Jays’ alternate training site.
Blue Jays Activate Robbie Ray From Injured List
TODAY: Ray has been officially activated, the Jays announced.
APRIL 11: The Blue Jays are preparing to activate left-hander Robbie Ray from the injured list in advance of their upcoming series against the Yankees, manager Charlie Montoyo tells reporters (including Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). He’ll get the start tomorrow evening against New York.
Ray re-signed with Toronto over the offseason after the Jays acquired him in a midseason trade with the Diamondbacks. His 2021 regular season debut was delayed a couple weeks by a bruised elbow he suffered during the spring. With Ray making his return to the rotation, the Jays will bump Tanner Roark to the bullpen for now, per Montoyo.
In other Toronto injury news, star outfielder George Springer is still not nearing a return from his recent quad injury (via Nicholson-Smith). Springer’s debut with the Jays’ was delayed by an oblique strain, and he hurt his quad while rehabbing the original injury. The three-time All-Star has now recovered from the oblique problem, but the leg issue will keep him out of the lineup for a while longer.
Blue Jays Place Tyler Chatwood On 10-Day IL
- The Blue Jays sent Tyler Chatwood to the 10-day IL on Friday with right triceps inflammation, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Chatwood, a former Angel, Rockie and Cub whom the Blue Jays signed to a $3MM guarantee in the offseason, has thrown 2 2/3 scoreless innings this year with three strikeouts.
Blue Jays Place Teoscar Hernandez, Ryan Borucki On COVID IL
The latest COVID-related notes from the majors:
- The Blue Jays placed outfielder Teoscar Hernandez on the COVID-19 injured list after “someone close to him tested positive,” Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star tweets. The team also placed left-hander Ryan Borucki on the COVID IL because he is dealing with side effects from the vaccine. [UPDATE: Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. exited Friday’s game with vaccine-related symptoms, the team announced.]
- Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela landed on the COVID IL on Friday because of side effects from the vaccine, according to a club announcement. The hope is that Urshela will return Saturday, manager Aaron Boone said (via Marly Rivera of ESPN). In the meantime, the Yankees recalled first baseman Mike Ford to take Urshela’s roster spot.
- In better news, Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull has returned to the team’s alternate site and could throw a simulated game this weekend, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports. The Tigers have been without Turnbull since March 20 because of health and safety protocols. Turnbull piled up 56 2/3 innings for the Tigers last year and notched a 3.97 ERA with a 50 percent groundball rate.
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Latest On Nate Pearson, Blue Jays' Home Stadium Plans
- Blue Jays righty Nate Pearson came out of a bullpen session yesterday feeling fine, manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters (including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet). The hard-throwing righty suffered a groin injury in Spring Training that currently has him on the 10-day injured list. A productive season from Pearson, Baseball America’s #19 overall prospect entering the year, would go a long way towards the Jays’ hopes of sticking with the Yankees and Rays in the American League East.
- The Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, announced this morning they will move to Trenton at the beginning of their season, which kicks off May 4. The move allows the Jays and Bisons to “complete a joint renovation project to prepare (Buffalo’s) Sahlen Field for Major League regular season games.” While the Jays have not officially announced any plans to play home games in Buffalo in 2021, the Bisons’ temporary relocation is the strongest indicator yet the Jays are preparing to return to Buffalo at some point after playing there in 2020. The Jays will continue to stage home games through the end of May at their Spring Training complex in Dunedin, Florida.
