BREAKING: The team. It has been a rough week for the Jays, as it seemed like every day there was someone on the roster headed to the Injured List. While many people across baseball expected there could be a higher number of injuries this year after coming off a shortened 60-game season last year, I don’t think it was something to be expected just 16 games into the season. Currently, the Jays have ten players on the injured list: eight pitchers and two position players. That is the third most in the MLB. Thankfully, the Jays have built a decent amount of depth in their system; however, I doubt they were planning on having to use a lot of that depth in the first month of the season.
The most recent players to head to the IL were pitchers Ross Stripling, Jordan Romano, and Julien Merryweather. Stripling is dealing with a right forearm strain, Romano with right ulnar neuritis, and Merryweather with a left oblique strain. The injuries to Romano and Merryweather are extremely concerning because both happened in the same game, and they are the Jays’ best two relievers. It will be quite a challenge for Montoyo and the Jays to figure out ways to close out games in the eighth and ninth innings with their two flamethrowers on the IL.
Per a Zoom call on Sunday, pitching coach Pete Walker expects that Romano and Tyler Chatwood – who is on the IL with right triceps inflammation – will return after the ten days are up. Merryweather’s on the other hand has no current timetable for a return, and will likely be much longer as it is an oblique injury, which can take longer to recover from.
Nate Pearson is still on the IL recovering from a groin injury that he sustained in Spring Training. GM Ross Atkins said last Tuesday on MLB Network that Pearson is pain-free and it is only a matter of getting him built back up. Pearson is the Jays’ top pitching prospect, and the long-term hope is that he can develop into the high-end starter that he is projected to be. Short term, the Jays are just hoping he will have no more setbacks, return the rotation fairly soon and give them quality starts.
Teoscar Hernández has been on the COVID-19 Injured List since April 9th, when it was reported he was in close contact with someone who had a positive test. It was then reported on April 13th that Teoscar tested positive for covid-19. This means that he would have to be in quarantine for at least another ten days. Even after the ten days are up, there is no guarantee that Teoscar will be COVID-free and cleared to play. He will have to be cleared by the Joint Committee and the Blue Jays physician, following a mandatory cardiac evaluation and a determination that he no longer presents a risk of infection to others.
The player that everyone is anxiously waiting to see return is George Springer. The big offseason acquisition has yet to play in a regular season game with the team. Springer strained his left oblique in the last couple weeks of Spring Training, and then while rehabbing, he injured his right quad. These types of soft tissue injuries are particularly annoying because it’s impossible to know how long the player will be out for. All reports are showing positive signs, and the Jays are hopeful that Springer will be able to return in the coming weeks. Springer does have a history of injuries, so it was fair to assume that he would see some time on the IL at some point, it is just unfortunate for everyone that it happened right at the start of the season.
The Jays are currently 7-9 and managed to weather the injury storm so far. If they can manage to avoid digging themselves into a deep hole and stay with the rest of the pack in the East while they wait for the rest of the team to heal, they can be in a good position once everyone returns. Of course, that is a lot easier said than done, especially when you look at their next few opponents. The Jays will be playing the Red Sox, Rays, Nationals and Braves in the next two weeks, and none of those series will be a walk in the park. One thing the Jays front office has done well over the last few seasons is acquiring depth in the system, and now some of it is being put to the test. It is still early in the season, so it isn’t a sink or swim situation yet, but the Jays cannot afford to fall further under .500 as they wait for reinforcements.