Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider provided encouraging injury updates Wednesday on three sidelined players as the club continues to manage a difficult stretch on the health front.
Right-hander Max Scherzer is moving closer to a return after facing live hitters and preparing for what could be his first rehab start. Scherzer has been working back from forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation, and Schneider said the veteran pitcher is “feeling good” and the team wants to get him into a rehab game soon. Scherzer was placed on the injured list on April 27, and the Blue Jays are hopeful the next phase of his recovery can begin without further setbacks.
The 41-year-old’s early season was uneven before the injury. In four starts, he posted a 9.64 ERA with 10 strikeouts and eight walks over 18.2 innings. His health issues surfaced after he exited an April 6 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers after only two innings because of forearm tendinitis. Toronto is now focused on building him back up gradually and seeing how his body responds once he starts game action again.
Infielder Addison Barger, who has been dealing with elbow inflammation, is also nearing a possible step forward. Schneider said Barger is likely to resume throwing on Thursday. The 26-year-old has had a stop-start season due to multiple injuries and previously missed about a month with an ankle sprain before the elbow problem interrupted his progress. His return to throwing marks an important checkpoint as the Blue Jays try to keep him on track for a return later this season.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk is progressing more slowly, but the outlook is still positive. Schneider said the team hopes to have Kirk hitting off a machine this weekend, with rehab games likely to begin in early June if all goes well. Toronto also announced Wednesday that Kirk has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Kirk has been out since early April after fracturing his thumb in a game against the Chicago White Sox. He later underwent surgery to address the injury. In his absence, rookie Brandon Valenzuela has stepped into the starting catcher role and handled the workload behind the plate.
The updates come at a time when the Blue Jays are trying to stabilize their roster while several key contributors work their way back. Scherzer’s possible rehab assignment, Barger’s return to throwing, and Kirk’s next batting steps all represent meaningful signs of progress for a team that has spent much of the season adjusting to injuries.
