Injuries & Moves: Wagner (knee) seeing specialist
LATEST NEWS
Sept. 17: Reinstated SS Bo Bichette from 10-day IL (right calf strain); recalled OF Steward Berroa from Triple-A Buffalo; placed OF Daulton Varsho on 10-day IL (right shoulder strain), retroactive to Sept. 14; placed INF Will Wagner on 60-day IL (left knee inflammation)
Getting Bichette back is welcome news for the Blue Jays down the stretch, but they were dealt two more blows on the injury front in Varsho and Wagner.
Varsho will undergo right shoulder surgery soon to repair his rotator cuff, which sets up a recovery that could stretch into next spring, but the Blue Jays should know more throughout the offseason. Wagner, on the other hand, is currently visiting with a specialist in Cleveland to look at this nagging knee issue. He's played through it for much of the season, and while the Blue Jays don't seem to believe it's anything significant right now, they want to make sure it's addressed quickly to give Wagner a healthy offseason and clean bill of health coming into Spring Training 2025.
Sept. 17: OF Joey Loperfido (left adductor muscle discomfort) improving
Loperfido doubled in Saturday's game against the Cardinals, and as he stopped around second to return to the bag, he slipped awkwardly and grabbed at his left hip. He's improved since and the Blue Jays planned to have him go through a full pregame routine Tuesday in Arlington, so he could be available off the bench and is expected to return to the lineup in the coming days.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
CF Daulton Varsho (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: 2025
Varsho will soon undergo surgery to repair the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, a plan he and doctors have landed on after a month of the injury troubling him. The Blue Jays should have a much clearer picture of Varsho's recovery timeline as the offseason stretches on, but it's possible that this stretches into Spring Training or the early days of the regular season. (Last updated: Sept. 17)
RHP Jordan Romano (right elbow impingement, arthroscopic surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Romano will continue his rehab process as if he were planning a return, but manager John Schneider said on Sept. 6 that the two-time All-Star will not return this season. Schneider added that Romano will continue to keep his arm going, but doubted he'd throw any innings in the offseason. Romano posted a 6.59 ERA over just 13 2/3 innings due to multiple stints on the IL, though when healthy, he has proven to be one of the American League's top closers. From 2020-23, he posted a 2.29 ERA over 200 2/3 innings with 97 saves. (Last updated: Sept. 6)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
Wagner has dealt with this nagging issue for much of the season and is now meeting with a specialist in Cleveland to determine the cause and next steps. The Blue Jays don't immediately expect that it's anything serious, but should know more over the next week. (Last updated: Sept. 17)
RHP Alek Manoah (right UCL surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Manoah underwent successful right UCL reconstructive surgery with an internal brace on June 17. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Aug. 19 strictly for 40-man roster purposes. 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: Aug. 19)
LHP Ricky Tiedemann (Tommy John surgery, No. 4 on Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects list)
Expected return: Potentially late 2025
Tiedemann underwent successful Tommy John surgery on July 30. He will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season. The 21-year-old left-hander had worked his way back from ulnar nerve inflammation in his left elbow, but in his first start back with Triple-A Buffalo, Tiedemann left with what was described at the time as left forearm tightness. After getting opinions from Dr. Keith Meister and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Tiedemann opted for surgery. (Last updated: Aug. 2)
LHP Brandon Barriera (Tommy John surgery, No. 17 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. 17 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)