Injuries & Moves: Gausman (back tightness) OK after early exit Thurs.
LATEST NEWS
Sept. 19: RHP Kevin Gausman (back tightness) OK after early exit
Gausman had a no-hitter going through five innings when he left Thursday's game in Arlington unexpectedly with back tightness, but he later said that he's feeling OK and still hopes to make his next start. Gausman believes that as a younger pitcher, he actually would have left the game even earlier, but he's learned his body and knows the difference between something worrying and something he can grind through. The Blue Jays should have a better feel as to whether Gausman will make his next start by the end of the weekend.
Sept. 19: SS Bo Bichette (right middle finger fracture) placed on 10-day IL; OF Jonatan Clase recalled from Triple-A
Bichette's season ends just one game after he returned from the IL with a calf injury. It's cruel timing after Bichette took a ground ball off the tip of his finger on Wednesday, but the Blue Jays don't expect this injury to have any impact on his 2025 season following his recovery. More >>
In Bichette's place, the Blue Jays have brought up No. 6 prospect Jonatan Clase, who will play some center field down the stretch. Clase is one of the fastest players in the system with some real potential as a defender, so this will be a great opportunity for him to make a strong impression on the MLB staff heading into the offseason.
Sept. 19: OF Daulton Varsho (right rotator cuff surgery) expected to undergo surgery within next week
The Blue Jays don't have an official date for Varsho's procedure yet, manager John Schneider said Thursday, but it's expected to happen within the next week. Schneider said earlier this week that Varsho's recovery could "bleed into Spring Training," but the organization should have a much better feel for that in December and January, once Varsho works through the early stages of rehab.
Sept. 18: INF Will Wagner scheduled to undergo left knee scope
Wagner will undergo this procedure Thursday in Cleveland, where he recently met with specialists. There will be a rehab process involved here, of course, but John Schneider said Wednesday that he expects Wagner to be ready for Spring Training without any issues and is optimistic that he could come back even stronger without this nagging issue.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
SS Bo Bichette (right middle finger fracture)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
Bichette took a ground ball off the tip of his middle finger pregame on Sept. 18, and X-rays revealed a fracture, ending his season. Bichette will soon meet with a hand specialist to determine the best course of rehab, but the Blue Jays do not expect this to have any impact on Bichette's spring in 2025. (Last updated: Sept. 19)
OF 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 was slated to undergo a left knee scope to clean it up on Sept. 19. The Blue Jays don't expect this to have any impact on his 2025 season, though, and John Schneider is optimistic that a healthy knee next season could help Wagner tap into some more power and more more easily in the field. (Last updated: Sept. 18)
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)