The Blue Jays' injury woes continue, with José Berríos' health situation being particularly perplexing. The right-hander suffered a stress fracture in his throwing elbow during intake physicals for the World Baseball Classic, and that injury flared up again during a minor league rehab stint. The team is now considering surgery for Berríos, as manager John Schneider believes there may be loose bodies in his elbow in addition to the stress fracture. This raises a deeper question: how can the Jays navigate their hectic schedule with a four-man rotation and limited options for spot starters and bullpen games?
One thing that immediately stands out is the team's reliance on a small group of starters. While Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, and Patrick Corbin provide a solid foundation, the Jays' hectic schedule in the next two weeks will test their depth. The team does not have an off day until June 1st, with 17 games between now and then, including tonight. This means that the Jays will need to find creative solutions to cover three additional turns through the rotation.
What many people don't realize is that the Jays' offense has been struggling without Alejandro Kirk, who is progressing in his rehab and has responded well to catching. His eventual return will add a tough out to the lineup and lengthen the group overall. If the Blue Jays elect to keep Brandon Valenzuela as Kirk's backup catcher, that could also benefit the offense by limiting playing time for the weak-hitting Tyler Heineman.
In other injury news, Addison Barger is doing better and will ideally be hitting and throwing by next week. If all goes well, Barger could be back 'pretty soon' after that. This current IL placement is Barger's second of the year, as he previously missed a month due to an ankle sprain. He played one game before injuring his elbow on May 11th and landing back on the IL.
The Jays may understandably be concerned after that succession of injuries, though it's perhaps a good sign that Barger can be back pretty soon after hitting and throwing drills. Barger has only had 28 plate appearances this year, but he had a 107 wRC+ in 502 plate appearances last year. His underlying metrics suggest that performance is sustainable. Barger's average exit velocity and hard-hit rate were in the 86th and 91st percentiles, respectively.
In conclusion, the Blue Jays' injury woes continue to be a concern, but the team is finding creative solutions to navigate their hectic schedule. The return of Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger will add depth to the lineup, and the Jays will need to continue to adapt and innovate as they face the challenges of a busy schedule.
