Injuries & Moves: Green nearing return; Francis very close
LATEST NEWS
May 27: RHP Chad Green (right teres major strain) could be activated Tuesday
Green is with the Blue Jays in Chicago for this week's series against the White Sox and could be activated as soon as Tuesday, manager John Schneider said early Monday. Given the state of this struggling bullpen, Green could immediately slide into a crucial back-end role.
May 27: RHP Bowden Francis (right forearm extensor tendinitis) to make another rehab outing
Francis will get another rehab appearance on Tuesday, according to manager John Schneider. The Blue Jays would like to see Francis get through a couple of clean innings and Schneider doesn't expect Francis to need another rehab outing after this one, so he could return to the Blue Jays' bullpen by this weekend.
May 27: RHP Yariel Rodríguez (thoracic spine inflammation) to pitch Friday in Triple-A
Rodríguez threw just 16 pitches in his Triple-A rehab appearance on Tuesday before he was lifted for pitch count reasons. He's now scheduled to start Friday's game and the Blue Jays hope to stretch him out to a few innings. Rodríguez will likely still need another rehab outing or two after this next one, so the biggest priority for now is his pitch count.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Chad Green (right teres major strain)
Expected return: Potentially May 28
Green is with the Blue Jays in Chicago for this week's series and could be activated on May 28, manager John Schneider said. Prior to hitting the IL earlier this season, Green had a 2.35 ERA over seven appearances and he'll be a welcome addition to bullpen that ranks near the bottom of baseball in ERA and most key metrics. (Last updated: May 27)
RHP Bowden Francis (right forearm extensor tendinitis)
Expected return: Potentially May 31-June 2 vs. Pittsburgh (at home)
Francis was set for another outing with Triple-A Buffalo on May 28, which could be the last one he needs. From there, the Blue Jays will have a couple of days to evaluate their bullpen, but it's clear that Francis could be a valuable addition as a long man. (Last updated: May 27)
RHP Yariel Rodríguez (thoracic spine inflammation)
Expected return: Potentially mid-June
Rodríguez recorded just one out on 16 pitches in his May 21 rehab appearance in Triple-A before he was removed from the game for pitch count purposes. He will pitch next on May 31, where the Blue Jays hope to stretch him out further. Rodríguez's role should become clearer over the next couple of weeks, but if there's no job for him to take in the rotation, the Blue Jays could shorten him up to help their bullpen through the heart of the season. (Last updated: May 27)
LHP Ricky Tiedemann (left ulnar nerve inflammation; No. 1 prospect on Blue Jays top 30 list)
Expected return: Potentially June
The Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect dodged a more serious injury here, so while this is a sigh of relief in the short term, the Blue Jays hope their prized lefty can stay healthy for the remainder of the season and build some momentum, which has been difficult over the past two seasons.
Tiedemann, who is currently on the Minor League 7-day IL, is beginning to build up again. The Blue Jays will be cautious, but this time missed should naturally take care of any workload concerns in 2024. If Tiedemann is able to return within the next month, that still leaves half a season to work with as a starter. When he's at his best, Tiedemann still has the talent to kick the door down and help the Blue Jays in the big leagues. (Last updated: May 17)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
LHP Brandon Barriera (Tommy John surgery, No. 4 prospect on Blue Jays top 30 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)