Addison Barger's Season Is Over

Well, we no longer have to wonder what the roster will look like "when Addison Barger returns."

This afternoon, the Blue Jays revealed that Barger needs surgery on his throwing elbow. It's not yet clear if he'll need Tommy John or the less invasive internal brace procedure, but either way, Barger won't play again in 2026.

At this point, I can't imagine many Blue Jays were counting on much from Barger this season anyway. Expectations were high for the young slugger entering the year, following his breakout campaign in 2025. He finished his first full season with 21 home runs, a 107 wRC+, and 2.2 FanGraphs WAR – and it seemed like he was just scratching the surface of his potential. 

Unfortunately, Barger never got the chance to show what he could do in full-season number two. He first hit the injured list barely a week into the season. Running to first base, he landed on the bag awkwardly and exited with what was initially labelled "bilateral ankle discomfort." A couple of days later, the Blue Jays formally placed him on the 10-day IL with a left ankle sprain.

Barger was back after a month, but his triumphant return was short-lived. In his first game back, he made a spectacular throw – 101.2 mph! – to complete a double play at the plate... unknowingly ending his season in the process. John Schneider told reporters today (including MLB.com's Keegan Matheson) that Barger had been playing through some degree of elbow discomfort for “a couple of years." Still, it's hard not to think that throw was the straw that broke the camel's back. 

Over the past couple of months, we've gotten the occasional update about Barger stopping or starting good old "baseball activities," but it never seemed like he was making much progress. Eventually, the Jays Centre team stopped writing articles about what would happen when he rejoined the lineup.

Now, at least, we can enjoy the modicum of relief that comes with the removal of uncertainty. It's José Berríos déjà vu all over again.

Barger's 2026 numbers look dreadful, but it's not worth focusing on that. A 28-plate appearance sample is too small to draw any conclusions from. This was a lost season for the 26-year-old, but it wasn't a step back. That's a small but meaningful distinction. 

Addison Barger's Lost Season

Of course, the pressure will be on for Barger not to take a step back when he eventually returns. In a best-case scenario, he'll be back to full health in more than enough time for a normal spring training. Even if that's the case, he'll have to reacclimate to the majors after a long time away. In a worst-case scenario (i.e., Tommy John surgery), he'll have to do that reacclimating in the middle of a season. 

Another concern is what this will do to Barger's gift from the baseball gods: his throwing arm. It might take a lot longer than six to nine months for him to regain complete arm strength. And what if he feels the need to dial it back permanently to protect himself from future injury? If that's what he needs to do, it's what he needs to do. That said, it's a little sad to think we may have seen his last 100-mph outfield assist. 

Addison Barger was one of my favourite players to watch in 2025. I'm sad we won't get to see him in 2026, but at least it's good to have some clarity. He'll go under the knife on Monday, and soon after, we'll learn what kind of surgery he needed. For now, I have my fingers crossed that it's not Tommy John. The sooner Barger is back hitting tanks and throwing missiles, the better.

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