The Blue Jays head into the second half still dealing with a long injury list, but there are signs the group is finally starting to thin out.
Toronto sits at 45-51 and last in the American League East, so the division picture is a long shot at this point. Even so, the club is only 2.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox for the final wild-card spot, which keeps the conversation alive as the All-Star break winds down and teams get back to work on Friday.
A handful of the injured players are trending toward returns, while others are done for the year. Yimi García has yet to pitch this season as he recovers from right elbow surgery in 2025, but he threw a bullpen last week and is expected back in late July or early August. Before the injury, he put up a 3.86 ERA in 22 appearances, and he could give the bullpen a useful one- or two-inning option once he’s cleared.
Max Scherzer is also nearing a comeback. The 41-year-old, who re-signed with Toronto this offseason, has already had multiple trips to the injured list this year. He was placed on the 15-day IL because of back spasms and has since made a few rehab starts, with a return to the rotation possible soon after the All-Star break.
Addison Barger is another key name to watch. He has appeared in only nine games this season, but his bat could matter a lot for a lineup looking for a lift. He’ll be re-evaluated in the coming days, and the target is an August return.
Jesús Sánchez has also started moving in the right direction. He went on the 10-day injured list on June 27 with a right ankle sprain, and he’s been running and hitting as he works toward a rehab assignment. Toronto would welcome the left-handed hitter back for the second half.
Lenyn Sosa began a rehab assignment on June 23 after suffering a right wrist contusion, but there hasn’t been an update since then.
Anthony Santander is still working through a left shoulder issue, though he hopes to be back before the season ends.
Not every injured Blue Jay has a path back this year. Cody Ponce, Bowden Francis, and José Berríos each underwent season-ending surgeries, with Ponce dealing with a right knee ACL sprain, Francis having UCL reconstruction, and Berríos undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Joe Mantiply had a scope surgical procedure on his knee, but it was not season-ending. There’s still no updated timeline for when he might return.
In Other News...
Blue Jays May Have Just Caught A Huge Deadline Break
Milwaukees decision to land Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon from Houston for prospect Jadyn Fielder added another wrinkle to an already fluid deadline market, and its the kind of move that can ripple well beyond the two teams involved. McCullers has battled inconsistency and injuries this season, but his postseason track record still carries weight, which is exactly why a deal like this can reset how front offices think about pitching depth and what they are willing to pay for it.
For Toronto, the bigger question is whether a sellers market is starting to tilt in its favor if the club decides to move pieces before the deadline. A trade built around a pitcher with McCullers name value, despite the uneven year, can only help the Blue Jays case if they choose to listen on veterans, because it suggests clubs are still willing to chase proven upside even when the current numbers are messy. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Got Surprising Draft Praise Despite Their Disadvantage
For a team working with limited draft capital in 2026, the Blue Jays still managed to come out of the MLB draft with some real intrigue. Keith Law singled out Toronto for landing two top-50 prospects in Cole Carlon and Will Brick, a notable haul for a club that did not have the kind of draft flexibility many rivals enjoyed. The added context matters here: Toronto was able to turn a constrained board into a class that drew praise from one of the sports more respected evaluators.
Carlon, the Arizona State left-hander, was viewed as a potential mid-rotation starter thanks to two bat-missing pitches and some room to keep growing through his changeup. Brick, a high school catcher, gives the Blue Jays another high-upside name to track as the organization continues to build depth behind the plate and on the mound. Toronto also added several undrafted free agent pitchers after the draft, which suggests the front office kept working to squeeze value out of the process even after the headline picks were in. [Read more 🡒]