Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Will see starts at third base
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider indicated Tuesday that Barger will see a significant amount of playing time at third base moving forward, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
There will be fewer at-bats to be had in the outfield for Barger with Daulton Varsho (shoulder) back from the 10-day injured list, but it sounds like Barger will slide into the role vacated by Will Wagner, who was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Ernie Clement is at the hot corner Tuesday versus the Red Sox and could still see the bulk of the starts there, but Barger will get his fair share.
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Blue Jays' Paxton Schultz: Returns to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Blue Jays optioned Schultz to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
The right-hander was called up by Toronto on April 20 and struck out eight over 4.1 scoreless frames in his MLB debut that day, but he'll head back to Triple-A after giving up three runs across 2.1 innings Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Schultz is likely to get another look in the big leagues at some point this season, but for now he'll return to Buffalo.
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Blue Jays' Will Wagner: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Blue Jays optioned Wagner to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
Wagner had seen his playing time dip recently, and he will lose his roster spot upon Daulton Varsho's (shoulder) return from the injured list. With Wagner out of the way, Ernie Clement should have a stronger grip on the third-base job.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Activated ahead of season debut
Rotowire
The Blue Jays activated Varsho (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.
Varsho is ready to make his season debut after recovering from last September's right shoulder surgery. He went just 3-for-25 with a 7:0 K:BB in seven rehab contests and has slashed only .217/.289/.398 in two seasons with the Blue Jays, so fantasy manager should keep offensive expectations modest for Varsho. However, the 28-year-old's elite glove in center field will keep him in the lineup on a regular basis.
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Blue Jays' Ryan Burr: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Blue Jays transferred Burr (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
Toronto replaced Burr on the 40-man roster with right-hander Casey Lawrence, whom the club claimed off waivers from Seattle on Monday. As a result of his move to the 60-day IL, Burr -- who has been on the shelf all season while recovering from right shoulder inflammation -- won't be eligible to make his 2025 debut until late May. Burr recently resumed throwing off a mound, but he's likely a week or more away from heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment.
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Blue Jays' Casey Lawrence: Returning to Toronto
Rotowire
The Blue Jays claimed Lawrence off waivers from the Mariners on Monday.
Toronto has plenty of familiarity with Lawrence, a 37-year-old journeyman who signed with the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent in 2010 before he reached the big leagues for the first time in 2017. Before being designated for assignment by Seattle over the weekend, Lawrence had filled a swingman role in the majors and at Triple-A Tacoma, making four relief appearances for the big club and two starts in the minors. Since he has no minor-league options remaining, Lawrence will join Toronto ahead of its three-game series with the Red Sox that begins Tuesday, but it's not immediately clear whether he'll work out of the bullpen or slot into the rotation. The Blue Jays have a starting spot open for Wednesday after demoting Easton Lucas, who had been filling in for the injured Max Scherzer (thumb).
Blue Jays' Arjun Nimmala: Flashing power for Vancouver
Rotowire
Nimmala went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two additional runs scored for High-A Vancouver on Sunday.
It was the 19-year-old's third straight game leaving the yard. Nimmala has taken a big step forward at the plate to begin the campaign, slashing .289/.349/.539 through 18 games and reducing his strikeout rate from 31.8 percent in 2024 to 21.7 percent through his first 83 plate appearances this season. Despite his age, the Blue Jays will have to consider a promotion to Double-A for Nimmala at some point this summer if he continues to thrive against Northwest League pitchers.
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Blue Jays' Jonatan Clase: Headed back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Clase was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo following Sunday's doubleheader with the Yankees, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Clase was called up to serve as the team's 27th man versus New York, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout while starting in left field for the team's 11-2 loss in Game 1. The 23-year-old will now wait for his next chance to join the major-league roster at some point later this season.
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Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Smacks homer in nightcap
Rotowire
Santander went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo homer in the Blue Jays' 5-1 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader.
Santander went 0-for-4 with three punchouts in Game 1, but he rebounded in Game 2 when he took Clarke Schmidt deep to right field for a solo homer. Santander's moonshot was his third of the season and snapped a five-game hitless streak. He's slashing .179/.261/.302 with eight runs scored and nine RBI over 119 plate appearances.
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Blue Jays' Chris Bassitt: Yields four runs in loss
Rotowire
Bassitt (2-2) came away with the loss in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five over 5.2 innings.
Bassitt gave up a leadoff homer to Trent Grisham to open the outing, but the former settled in keep the Yankees off the board over the next four frames. However, things fell apart in the sixth for Bassitt, as he was tagged for three more runs, including a solo home run by Aaron Judge. Bassitt allowed just two earned runs over his first four starts of the season, but he has given up eight runs over his last two outings and is up to a 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 39:7 K:BB across 34.1 innings. He's lined up to face the Guardians at home next weekend.
Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Roughed up in third inning
Rotowire
Gausman (2-3) took the loss in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees, allowing six runs on three hits and five walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings.
Gausman got through the first two innings with relative ease but ran into trouble in the third. He issued a single and five walks (including two with the bases loaded) before giving up a bases-clearing double to Austin Wells that gave the Yankees a 6-1 lead. Gausman tossed 53 of his 71 pitches in the third inning before being lifted, and he was subsequently ejected for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout. He has now allowed 10 runs and walked eight batters in his past two starts. The right-hander is up to a 4.50 ERA and 1.03 WHIP through 34 innings.
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Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Breather in Game 2
Rotowire
Kirk is not in the starting lineup for the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader with the Yankees.
Kirk will take a seat after he went 2-for-4 while drawing the start behind the plate in the team's 11-2 loss in Game 1. Tyler Heineman will take over at catcher and bat seventh versus New York in Game 2.
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Blue Jays' Ernie Clement: Sitting for Game 2
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Clement is not in the starting lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
Clement will head to the bench after he went 1-for-4 in the team's 11-2 matinee loss Sunday. Will Wagner will take over at the hot corner and bat sixth in the nightcap versus New York.
Swanson (forearm) will report to Single-A Dunedin to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Swanson has been sidelined for the first month of the season due to carpal tunnel syndrome in his forearm, but he's now been cleared for game action in the minors. The right-hander will likely require a handful of appearances before being ready to make his season debut for the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: On cusp of activation
Rotowire
Manager John Schneider said Varsho (shoulder) will play in center field Sunday with Triple-A Buffalo before being activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho hasn't gotten on track offensively through six games of the rehab assignment with just two hits in 21 at-bats, but the Blue Jays are apparently ready to bring him off the injured list. The 28-year-old had a .214/.293/.407 slash line in 136 games last season and should take over as Toronto's primary center fielder.
Roden is out of the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
It's the second straight game on the bench for Roden, who has gone hitless with seven strikeouts in his past 17 at-bats. Jonatan Clase, who was called up as the 27th man for the doubleheader, is starting in left field for the matinee.
