Leo Morgenstern

Before he could make his first official appearance in spring training, left-hander Ricky Tiedemann suffered a setback: soreness in his pitching elbow. Thankfully, an MRI did not find any structural damage, but the top prospect will not throw for at least the next week (per Sportsnet). Tiedemann, 23, sat out all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was expected to slowly build up his strength and compete for a role in Toronto's big league bullpen at some point this season. This latest news doesn't necessarily change that, but it's hard not to be worried about an update like this concerning a hard-throwing young pitcher. The latest update on right-hander Chay Yeager is even less encouraging. According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, the 23-year-old met with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, and he could require surgery. Meister is a well-known specialist when it comes to UCL reconstruction. Yeager is coming off a strong season in which he pitched to a 2.75 ERA and 3.45 FIP in 55.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. He was invited to MLB spring training for the first time this year. View full rumor

Speaking to reporters (including Sportnet's Shi Davidi) after his Grapefruit League debut, José Berríos revealed that he was already pitching through discomfort at this time last spring. He continued dealing with the issue throughout the season, eventually landing on the IL with an elbow/biceps tendon injury. It's no secret that he started to wear down at some point during 2025, but this is the first time he has clarified just how early his troubles started. Thankfully, Berríos is feeling much stronger this spring. "Last year, at this time, I had doubt in my mind already," he explained. "Today, I felt like nothing's on my mind. I'm clear." Berríos gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in his outing on Monday, striking out two Mets batters. He earned five whiffs on 23 swings, and his sinker topped out at 92.7 mph. All told, the righty threw 47 pitches across 2 2/3 innings, plus another 13 in a bullpen session. He said he was pleased with his performance. From 2023-24, Berríos made 64 starts for the Blue Jays with a 3.63 ERA. He had a 3.38 ERA through his first 14 starts in 2025, but struggled to a 4.97 ERA in his final 17 outings (16 starts). According to the pitch models Stuff+ and PitchingBot, his raw stuff declined significantly on four of his five pitches. The drop-off was particularly noticeable over the final three months of the year. Now, however, manager John Schneider says Berríos has regained his best stuff. "His stuff is back to where it was probably two years ago in terms of velocity and his breaking ball," said the skipper, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. Hopefully, Berríos can blame his late-season performance on his injury, and now that he's back at full strength, he can pitch more like the pitcher he was before. As things stand, he's a good bet to make Toronto's Opening Day rotation, but if he continues to struggle like he did late last season, he'll run the risk of losing his job when Shane Bieber comes off the IL. Berríos also gave an update on his chances of pitching in the World Baseball Classic. While initial reports suggested he was denied insurance coverage and wouldn't be able to participate, he was later added to Puerto Rico's designated pitcher pool. On Monday, the veteran seemed optimistic he'd be able to join Puerto Rico if they make it to the next round of the tournament, though he'd still need to pass another physical. His willingness to play in the WBC certainly seems like a good sign that he's feeling healthier than he was last year. View full article

Speaking to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi at spring training, Blue Jays manager John Schneider addressed his contract status. The team exercised its option for his services in 2026 last spring, but he will become a free agent next winter without a new deal. “We're talking,” Schneider told Davidi, regarding the possibility of an extension. He went on to express that there is "nowhere else" he'd rather be – and the team knows how he feels. "We've had some discussions about it, and if there's a way to do it for both sides that makes sense, that'd be great...We'll continue to talk, and there's no place I'd rather be than with this group," said Schneider. After the World Series, general manager Ross Atkins told reporters he was discussing an extension with Schneider. Evidently, those conversations are still ongoing. As Davidi notes, Atkins is also in the final year of his contract, while president Mark Shapiro recently signed a five-year extension. Given the Blue Jays' success in 2025, and their aspirations for the coming year, it would be highly surprising if Shapiro lets his GM and manager go through the season in a lame duck position. However, Schneider said that he is currently "focused on right here, right now," rather than worrying about his status for 2027 and beyond. View full rumor

Speaking to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Blue Jays right-hander Yimi García confirmed that he will open the 2026 season on the injured list. García, 35, had elbow surgery last September. He has not suffered a setback, but the Blue Jays are simply taking things slow with the veteran reliever, who also dealt with elbow issues in 2024. The righty has not yet thrown off a mound this spring, though he's hoping to do so soon. While it once seemed as if the Blue Jays would have some tough decisions to make regarding their Opening Day bullpen, that might not be an issue anymore. Barring a particularly impressive spring training from Chase Lee or one of the Rule 5 guys (or a last-minute Max Scherzer signing), Toronto's Opening Day bullpen is likely to include Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Eric Lauer, Tommy Nance, Braydon Fisher, and Mason Fluharty. View full rumor

When I saw the news that the Blue Jays had claimed Ben Cowles, my first thought was, "Why?" Then I thought about it some more, and I realized it actually made quite a bit of sense. Cowles isn't a super flashy acquisition, but Toronto needed him more than you might think. Cowles, 26, started his career in the Yankees organization. A 10th-round draft pick in 2021, he was never a highly-ranked prospect, but he played well as he moved up the system. In 325 games from summer 2021 to summer 2024, moving from the Florida Complex League to Double-A Somerset, he hit for a 126 wRC+. The Cubs liked what he was doing enough to request him in the deal that sent Mark Leiter Jr. back to the Yankees (even though he had a broken wrist at the time), and after the season, Chicago added him to its 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Heading into 2025, Cowles also earned the attention of prospect evaluators across the industry. FanGraphs ranked him 22nd in the Cubs' system. Baseball America and The Athletic both had him at 14. It was the first time any of those sources had included him on their lists. The Athletic's Keith Law praised his "feel for the strike zone" and "hand-eye coordination," while BA highlighted his ability to square up the baseball and crush breaking pitches. FanGraphs had less approbation for his bat but more for his glove. All three publications saw a big league future for him as a utility infielder. Unfortunately, that wrist injury seemed to affect him a lot more than the Cubs thought it would. Not only did Cowles hit poorly in the four games in which he appeared in September 2024 and the 19 games he played in the Arizona Fall League, but he struggled badly throughout the 2025 campaign. Instead of making his MLB debut at some point last year – like many thought he would – he hit for a 75 wRC+ through the end of August, earning himself a DFA. He wasn't any better in September after the White Sox claimed him off waivers, posting a 42 wRC+ in his final 15 games. Cowles was DFA'd twice more this winter. The White Sox cut him in January and the Cubs claimed him back, only to drop him again a month later. This time, it was the Blue Jays who scooped him up. So that's Ben Cowles. He's coming off a very poor 2025 campaign, but he hit well each of the three years prior. He's 26 and yet to make his MLB debut, but he's only one year removed from being a ranked prospect. We're not talking about a future All-Star here, but Cowles has a very real chance to become a capable big league bench bat. The Blue Jays could use someone like that. I mean, hopefully they don't have to. But good teams can't rely on hope. Right now, they project to carry these infielders on their Opening Day roster: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ernie Clement, Andrés Giménez, and Kazuma Okamoto, as well as infielders/outfielders Addison Barger and Davis Schneider. If another infielder manages to sneak his way into the mix, it will probably be Leo Jiménez. The 24-year-old has MLB experience, he's much more established in the organization, and he's all out of minor league options. Cowles has two option years remaining. That's why he's less likely to break camp with Toronto. But it's also precisely why the Jays acquired him. If Jiménez doesn't make the Opening Day roster (and barring an injury, I don't see how he does), the team will have to designate him for assignment. It's very likely another club would claim him, and all of a sudden, the Blue Jays wouldn't have any infield depth on their 40-man. In that event, an injury would mean they'd have to start the clock on someone else, likely Josh Kasevich, before they necessarily thought he was ready. With Cowles, that's no longer a concern. So yeah, I like this pickup. The Jays effectively had a free 40-man spot (a 60-day IL placement for Bowden Francis was inevitable), and they used it to add depth – and a bit of upside – in a place they really needed it. Good teams add players like Dylan Cease and Tyler Rogers, but they also know when to make small moves like this. View full article

Last week, news broke that Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander will miss the next five to six months recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. That's the same shoulder that kept him out for most of the 2025 campaign. Considering Santander first hurt his shoulder all the way back in May, it would be fair to ask why he didn't get this surgery a whole lot earlier. The outfielder addressed that question yesterday, telling reporters (including MLB.com's Keegan Matheson) that his original MRIs did not show a tear. That's why he and the Jays chose to take a rest and rehab approach instead of going the surgical route. Yet, when Santander started swinging a bat again this winter, he still felt uncomfortable. He went for testing, and this time, the tests showed his shoulder was in worse shape than he thought. As John Schneider pointed out, an MRI “usually paints a pretty good picture.” Perhaps that means the tear is a newer development. Perhaps not. “It’s nobody's fault, it just didn't show up,” said Santander. To fill in for the injured slugger, the Blue Jays brought in Jesús Sánchez in a trade with the Astros. They'll also hope Santander can return on the earlier end of his projected timeline. That could have him back in the lineup by mid-July. Yet, Santander has already acknowledged he might not be ready so soon. "Obviously, the other option is to wait until next year," said the switch-hitter. "But I hope it doesn’t go that way.” View full rumor

The Blue Jays like them some versatility. Ernie Clement makes highlight-reel plays all over the infield. He was arguably the best utility player in baseball last season. Addison Barger is the first player in MLB history to play at least 25 games at third base and right field in each of his first two years in the bigs. Even George Springer is hoping to contribute on defense in 2026. Given his age, injury history, and how well he swung the bat last year, no one would be mad if he were a full-time DH. But according to John Schneider, he's a legitimate option in the outfield too. Then there's Andrés Giménez; the Jays acquired the Platinum Glove-winning second baseman because they knew he could also play a good shortstop. And after Toronto signed Kazuma Okamoto this winter, both Ross Atkins and Okamoto himself acknowledged he could take the field at multiple positions. According to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith, the organization sees him as a capable third baseman and an above-average first baseman. He also has experience in the outfield. There's one more name I should have mentioned by now, and you might be surprised I haven't. Davis Schneider is one of only three active players to have appeared in at least 100 games at second base and in left field over the past three seasons. Funnily enough, the other two are both winners of the utility Gold Glove Award: Brendan Donovan and Mauricio Dubón. The defensive metrics will tell you Schneider has done just fine at each position, albeit in a small sample. He owns a -1 DRS and +1 FRV in 636.1 innings at the keystone and a -1 DRS and +1 FRV in 996.2 innings in left. In theory, all this versatility should allow John Schneider maximum creativity as he fills out his lineup card. The most frequent swap-outs will likely be the righty-batting Davis Schneider and Myles Straw replacing the lefty-batting Barger and Jesús Sánchez for the sake of platoon matchups. Sánchez has been unplayable against southpaws throughout his career. Barger has struggled against lefties too, though the Blue Jays haven't given him much of a chance to improve against same-handed pitching. On that note, I'd like to see Barger in the lineup more often against left-handed starters, at least early in the year. He deserves a chance to prove he's more than a platoon bat. I'm hopeful John Schneider is on the same page. When camp opened, the skipper suggested the everyday right field job was Barger's to lose. Presuming Barger is starting regularly against lefties, the Jays only need one righty-batting outfielder to platoon with Sánchez. If Straw can be that guy, it would free up Schneider as an option at second base. In such a scenario, Clement would slide over to shortstop to give the lefty-batting Giménez a day off. And in case that last paragraph was confusing, here's the lineup I'm proposing: Position Starter vs. LHP C Alejandro Kirk (R) 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 2B Davis Schneider (R) SS Ernie Clement (R) 3B Kazuma Okamoto (R) LF Myles Straw (R) CF Daulton Varsho (L) RF Addison Barger (L) DH George Springer (R) To be clear, I'm not suggesting this should be Toronto's go-to group against all left-handed pitchers. I'm just saying it's an option if the Jays want to maximize offense when they're facing a tough southpaw. This lineup includes every right-handed hitter on the team's projected 26-man roster, as well as Barger and Daulton Varsho. The only realistic alternative is to put Schneider in the outfield and keep Giménez at shortstop. The configuration with Giménez would be stronger defensively, but I think the version with Barger and Varsho would score more runs. Some days, offense is going to be the priority. Or... maybe not. See, I'm not sure how much time Davis Schneider is actually going to see at second base. RosterResource has him taking 161 of his 322 projected plate appearances at second. I think that's ambitious. During the playoffs last year, when every game, every inning, every play mattered more, Schneider appeared in eight games. He started five, all in left field. Meanwhile, Isiah Kiner-Falefa took the field in 15 of Toronto's 18 contests. He played 91 defensive innings, exclusively at second base. Sometimes he came on as a defensive replacement, sometimes he was the one replaced. But by and large, he was the player John Schneider and the Blue Jays wanted in the infield (when it couldn't be Bo Bichette). Kiner-Falefa had a 75 wRC+ in 2025. He has an 82 wRC+ for his career. Conversely, Schneider posted a 127 wRC+ last season, while his career mark is 109. Simply put, Schneider is a vastly superior hitter. There's no debate. According to FanGraphs, Kiner-Falefa has been worth 22.8 offensive runs below average over the last three years and 62.1 below average in his career. Schneider has produced 9.0 offensive runs above average since his debut in 2023. Moreover, IKF gave the Blue Jays next to nothing at the dish throughout the playoffs. He went 6-for-37 (.162) with two doubles, one walk, and a 7 wRC+. That's 93% worse than league average. My aim is not to denigrate Kiner-Falefa. Rather, I'm trying to point out that the Blue Jays watched all that and still decided they wanted to run out a lineup with Kiner-Falefa at second base instead of Schneider. They decided Kiner-Falefa's glove was that good (or Schneider's that bad) for the offensive trade-off to be worth it. To be fair, sometimes Schneider was busy in left field while IKF was manning short, but there were plenty of moments the Jays stuck with Kiner-Falefa while Schneider was sitting on the bench. The Blue Jays played 18 postseason games. Kiner-Falefa and Schneider were only ever in the same starting lineup three times. So, what does all this mean for 2026? Kiner-Falefa is in Boston now, but Toronto still has a pair of excellent defenders up the middle in Clement and Giménez. If the 2025 playoffs are any indication (and I don't see why they wouldn't be), John Schneider and the Blue Jays vastly prefer to have a great glove at second base, even if it means sacrificing some offense. The hypothetical, bat-first lineup I proposed as an option against tough left-handed starters might be just that – hypothetical. Davis Schneider couldn't steal a start from a slumping IKF in the playoffs, so I don't see many starts at second base in his future either. View full article

Right-hander Jesse Hahn will be heading to Blue Jays camp in Dunedin. According to the team's transaction log, they signed the 36-year-old to a minor league contract with a spring training invite on Saturday. From 2014-17, Hahn made 50 starts (53 games) for the Padres and Athletics, pitching to a 4.19 ERA with 212 strikeouts and a 49.7% groundball rate in 286 innings. After tearing his UCL in 2018, he was one of the first pitchers to receive an internal brace procedure. Upon his return, he made a handful of relief appearances for the Royals from 2019-21, putting up a 4.62 ERA in 25.1 innings of work. A shoulder injury ruined most of Hahn's 2021, and he did not pitch professionally for the next two seasons. He made his return to affiliated ball with the Dodgers organization in 2024, and in 2025, he finally made it back to the majors, appearing in three games and tossing five innings for the Mariners. All told, across an unusual career, the righty has pitched 316.1 innings with a 4.24 ERA and 3.4 FanGraphs WAR. He's never been one to overpower hitters, and control has often been an issue, but he's always excelled at inducing groundballs. Hahn will join names like Jorge Alcala and Connor Seabold as righty NRIs in camp with MLB experience. Earlier last week, the Blue Jays also reportedly signed first baseman Juan Yepez, according to Eric Treuden of Just Baseball. He, too, will presumably report to big league spring training, but the team has not yet announced his deal. Yepez, 27, hit 20 home runs with a .730 OPS and a 103 wRC+ in 166 games for the Cardinals and Nationals from 2022-24. The righty batter did not appear in the majors last year, as injury and ineffectiveness kept him at Triple-A. Initially a utility player with experience at first, third, and the corner outfield spots, Yepez has mostly played first base and DH the past two years. He'll have a better chance of making it back to the majors in 2026 if the Blue Jays think he can handle outfield work, so it will be worth watching where he plays in the coming weeks and months. View full rumor

In the wake of the news that Anthony Santander will undergo shoulder surgery, the Toronto Blue Jays have added a new corner outfielder. The Jays announced this morning that they have traded for Jesús Sánchez, sending Joey Loperfido back to the Houston Astros in return. Sánchez, 28, owns a .727 OPS and 98 wRC+ in 580 career games. Really though, his career numbers don't tell the full story. The lefty-batting Sánchez is a platoon-only hitter who should only face same-handed pitching when there's no other choice. He has been consistently productive against right-handed pitchers, with a career 9.0% walk rate, 24.5% strikeout rate, .198 ISO, and 111 wRC+. As for his numbers against lefty pitching? I think his 41 wRC+ (59% worse than league average) tells you all you need to know. A fine baserunner and a capable defender in the corners, Sánchez has the skills to be Toronto's starting left fielder against right-handed pitching. With that said, he'll have competition from Nathan Lukes, barring another trade. Lukes is another left-handed-hitting corner outfielder, and after Santander's injury, manager John Schneider said he expected Lukes to platoon with the righty-batting Davis Schneider in left field. Lukes does not have nearly as much MLB experience as Sánchez, but his career 109 wRC+ against right-handed pitching is similar to Sánchez's 111 mark. Lukes is probably the stronger fielder, but he's three years older, and the sample his defensive metrics come from is small. Sánchez will make $6.8 million in 2026, and he'll be eligible for arbitration one more time in 2027. Loperfido, 26, came over from Houston at the 2024 trade deadline as part of the haul Toronto received for Yusei Kikuchi. Over his year and a half in the Blue Jays organization, the former top prospect flashed promise but failed to make a significant impact. He will now return to his former club, where he will have an easier path to regular playing time. View full article

Last week, Eric Lauer and the Blue Jays argued their cases in front of an arbitration panel. Earlier today, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that the Jays won the hearing. That means Lauer will earn $4.4 million for the 2026 season instead of the $5.75 million figure he filed at. Ultimately, $1.35MM in savings is pocket change for the Blue Jays, as is the $1.215 million this will save them on their 2026 luxury tax bill. However, this result is interesting because of the precedent it sets. As I wrote last week: The fact that Lauer will make less money in 2026 (his third year in the arbitration system) than he earned in 2023 (his second year in the system) is bad news not just for Lauer, but for future players who find themselves in a similar position. View full rumor

In addition to the arms on their official 30-man rosters, each country in the World Baseball Classic can name up to six pitchers to its Designated Pitcher Pool. These pitchers will be ready to serve as potential replacements in later rounds of the tournament. According to MLB.com's Michael Clair, "Teams can replace up to four pitchers following the first round and then up to two pitchers after the quarterfinal. These players can replace one of up to four arms that the team had previously marked as a potential substitute." Clair also published a list of all the known pitchers that have been included in their country's DPP. Team Canada was not included in the article, and it's unclear if that means Canada doesn't have a DPP or if it just hasn't been revealed yet. However, three notable Blue Jays names appeared on the DPP lists: Jeff Hoffman (USA), Tyler Rogers (USA), and José Berríos (Puerto Rico). They could join the 12 other Blue Jays expected to participate in the WBC. Berríos was originally going to be on Puerto Rico's 30-man roster, but he was one of several players denied insurance coverage for the tournament. It isn't clear what his inclusion in the DPP means about his insurance status. View full rumor

Nothing signals the start of spring training like a barrage of injury news. Pitchers and catchers report to camp today, and that means Blue Jays reporters started showing up to Dunedin earlier this week. Once they did, it wasn't long before injury updates were thrust upon us. The big news yesterday was that Anthony Santander could miss the next five to six months recovering from shoulder surgery. However, Santander isn't the only Blue Jay undergoing major surgery. Manager John Schneider revealed that right-hander Bowden Francis needs UCL reconstruction and will miss the 2026 season. It's not yet clear if he's going for Tommy John or the less invasive internal brace procedure, but either way, he's out for the year. Schneider also offered a concerning update regarding right-hander Shane Bieber. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner will begin the season on the injured list, as he's dealing with forearm fatigue right now. On the bright side, it doesn't seem as if he'll miss significant time; he hasn't been shut down from baseball activities, he just won't be able to ramp up in time for Opening Day. With that said, forearm issues are always worrisome, and especially so for a pitcher who only just returned from Tommy John surgery. Given Bieber's status, it's hardly surprising that Eric Lauer will be stretched out as a starter this spring. For as long as Bieber is out, Lauer will be the sixth man on Toronto's starting pitching depth chart – a depth chart that's also thinner without Francis as an emergency backup plan. John Schneider also spoke about Yimi García, whose 2025 season concluded before the All-Star break. While an ankle injury sent him to the shelf, it was ulnar nerve symptoms that stopped him from making a return. He had season-ending surgery to address the issue in August. On top of that, he also missed time with a shoulder injury earlier in the year. According to Schneider, García is on track to make the Opening Day roster, though the team is still exercising caution with the 35-year-old righty. Finally, Toronto's skipper spoke about the many injury issues George Springer played through in 2025. While we already knew about some of them, Schneider told Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith that right wrist discomfort became a problem for the veteran as the year went on. Apparently, the injury interfered with his throwing, therefore making it difficult for him to play the outfield. Now that he's feeling stronger, however, Springer could see time in the outfield again. Of course, with Santander on the shelf, it might make sense for Springer to be a full-time DH in 2026 anyway, but more flexibility is never a bad thing. View full article

Spring training is here! Well, sort of. It's pitchers and catchers day at the Blue Jays' spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida. Injury updates have already started rolling in, and, on a more positive note, pictures and videos of real-life baseball activities are coming soon. All pitchers and catchers are expected to report to camp today, while any other position players participating in the World Baseball Classic will report tomorrow. The rest of the squad is expected to arrive no later than Monday, February 16. Blue Jays photo day is scheduled for Friday, February 20 (new headshots to use in our articles, yay!), and the following day, the Jays will welcome the Phillies for the first game of spring training on Saturday, February 21 at 1:07 pm. That kicks off a stretch of 11 Grapefruit League games in 10 days, leading up to an exhibition match against Team Canada at 1:07 pm on Tuesday, March 3. Another date to keep on your calendar is Saturday, March 21, when a team of Blue Jays prospects will take on a team of Phillies prospects as part of the Spring Breakout weekend. The Phillies will host that contest at 1:05 pm in Clearwater. Finally, spring training will come to a close at the end of March. While 24 teams will play their Opening Day matchups on March 25 or 26, the Blue Jays are one of a handful of clubs waiting until Friday, March 27 to begin their regular season. Their first game will also be their home opener, as they take on the Athletics at 7:07 pm in Toronto. View full rumor