Blue Jays reliever Yimi García had thoracic outlet surgery last week, manager John Schneider told reporters, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The procedure brings his season to a close.
That outcome had been looming for a while. When Toronto announced García’s thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis a few weeks ago, Schneider said he was probably headed for the shelf for the rest of the year.
In the end, García never made it back to the majors at all. His only game work came in nine minor league appearances during unsuccessful rehab assignments.
The 2025 season never really got off the ground for the 36-year-old right-hander. He had already gone through an August surgery to repair scar tissue in his elbow, a minor procedure that still ended up costing him far more time than he expected. García had initially hoped the setback would keep him out only a little longer than Spring Training, but by the end of April he was on the 60-day injured list.
Toronto kept trying to get him back in May, June, and July, but each rehab attempt ran into more trouble. García later reported neck soreness, which was eventually linked to the nerve issue.
He’s now finishing a two-year, $15MM free agent deal after posting a 3.86 ERA across 21 innings last season. Instead of locking down a spot in the setup mix, the injuries kept him from ever establishing himself there. García will hit free agency at season’s end and is likely to be looking at minor league offers.
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Schneiders thinking is practical as much as it is patient. Sliding Guerrero lower could cut into his plate appearances, but it would not necessarily make the pressure disappear or get him back to the version of himself the Blue Jays are counting on. So the club waits, trying not to turn a slump into a bigger issue, while the question hanging over the lineup is how long they can keep leaving him right in the middle of it. [Read more 🡒]