Blue Jays Injury Updates: Guerrero, Cease, Lukes, Scherzer, Bieber

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Dylan Cease left Sunday's game early, while several of their teammates are working their way back from the injured list. Let's dive right in.

Dylan Cease (Hamstring)

Cease was dealing as usual on Sunday before discomfort in his left hamstring forced him from the game. With eight strikeouts through 4.2 innings (on 76 pitches), the MLB Ks leader was well on his way to his fourth double-digit strikeout game. With that said, he also gave up two home runs to the Pirates. He's now given up four homers in his last two starts, compared to just one in his first nine.

When the discomfort first set in, John Schneider initially let Cease stay in the game. However, the righty only lasted a few more pitches before he got the hook. The abruptness with which he was pulled – in the middle of an at-bat – was concerning. Thankfully, the messaging right now is that the injury is mild, and Cease only left the game out of an abundance of caution. We'll know more later today after he goes for an MRI, but it's possible he'll be able to make his next scheduled start on Friday against the Orioles.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Elbow)

There was no hemming and hawing before Vladdy left the game in the bottom of the fifth. The first baseman quickly went from frustrated to forlorn after a 92-mph sinker from Mitch Keller hit him in the right elbow. He walked straight to the dugout, shaking his head at John Schneider and trainer Voon Chong.

“I followed him, and he just said, ‘I can’t feel my hand,'" Schneider told reporters post-game. "It was kind of like [hitting] a funny bone, but travelling at 90-plus miles an hour.”

X-rays were negative, and the team is calling the injury an elbow contusion. Presuming that's really all it is, an IL stint is unlikely (thank goodness). Indeed, Schneider suggested Guerrero could even play today against the Marlins, although I think it's more likely he takes at least one day off to let the pain reside.  

Nathan Lukes (Hamstring)

Nathan Lukes has been on the IL for a month with a left hamstring strain. He played his fourth rehab game for the Dunedin Blue Jays on Sunday, and he's expected to travel back to Toronto today, as reported by Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling on Friday. If the Jays activate the outfielder today, it will be interesting to see how they make room on the roster. Optioning the struggling Davis Schneider to Triple-A Buffalo would be the easiest way to do it, but that would leave the offense quite left-handed-heavy. 

Max Scherzer (Forearm, Ankle)

The veteran hit the injured list at the end of April with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. The arm injury sounds scarier, but he was pitching through forearm discomfort for a while; the ankle injury was the straw that broke the camel's back and sent him to the IL.

Max Scherzer is throwing again now. He started with bullpen sessions last week, and he will progress to facing live hitters before eventually going on a rehab assignment. Barring any setbacks, it seems like a return at some point in mid-June is most likely. That's good news, but it means the Jays will still need to survive at least three or four more turns through the rotation before they have a proper fifth starter again.

Shane Bieber (Elbow)

We've gotten shockingly little information about Shane Bieber's health from the very beginning, so I won't get my hopes up until I actually see him on a mound. And by that I mean a major league mound, because Bieber is set to take the mound for the FCL Blue Jays this afternoon. It will be his first rehab start of the year. 

Although Bieber is starting his rehab assignment before Scherzer, the latter is still expected to return sooner. The plan seems to be for Bieber to ramp slowly across four or five rehab outings, which puts his estimated 2026 debut somewhere around the end of June.

More Blue Jays Injury Updates

• Right-handed reliever Yimi García has been out all season recovering from elbow surgery. He is throwing again, and he's set to face live hitters this week. 
• Catcher Alejandro Kirk has been out since early April with a fractured thumb. John Schneider says he could start a minor league rehab assignment by the end of this week. 
• Outfielder Addison Barger returned from the IL for one game earlier this month before elbow inflammation sent him back to the shelf. He reportedly resumed baseball activities (everyone's favourite vague injury update) this weekend.