TORONTO -- The realities of baseball have been kind to the Blue Jays this season, but they’re always changing. The biggest surprise out of manager John Schneider’s long, detailed list of injury updates coming out of the All-Star break was Yimi García, who is no longer rehabbing from just an ankle injury. Now, García is dealing with ulnar nerve symptoms in his throwing elbow. This is the same issue García dealt with a year ago, which landed him on the IL for just over a month before he returned and was quickly dealt to the Mariners at the Trade Deadline. The ulnar nerve runs from the elbow down to the hand, and when it’s inflamed or compressed, it can often cause numbness or weakness. For now, all the Blue Jays can do is hold their breath while García meets with the team’s doctors. “Any time you’re getting checked out by a doc, your level of concern goes up a little bit,” Schneider said. “I know he’s dealt with it in the past, both with it being mild and a different story. Hopefully, we get good news. Not ideal, but you hope it’s as quick as possible.” |
This brings us to the same place this did a year ago: the July 31 Trade Deadline. It’s the flip side of the conversation, though, as the Blue Jays surge on as one of the best stories in baseball atop the AL East. Seasons like these are gifts that must be nourished. We saw back in 2021 -- that incredible team led by a near-MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien -- how one small weakness or even a handful of plays can bring down a season so full of hope. If the Blue Jays’ bullpen was a standard, old-fashioned “need” a few days ago, it’s sitting at the top of the list in red ink now. Perhaps García’s ailment mirrors the one from a year ago, and at this point, that might be a “good” outcome for the Blue Jays. He’ll need to be viewed through the same lens as Alek Manoah and Anthony Santander, though. Manoah, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, is expected to make his second rehab start on Sunday with Single-A Dunedin. He’s on track to return by the end of the season, but that’s a dangerous thing to lean any expectations on if you’re the Blue Jays, so they’ll need to view any contributions from Manoah as a bonus. The same goes for Santander, whose shoulder issue continues to stretch on and has only grown more curious. Perhaps he’s back in the lineup in a few weeks, but with the Trade Deadline just over 10 days away, the Blue Jays can’t afford to make optimistic assumptions. Add García to the list. Good MLB front offices operate with worst-case scenarios baked into every decision, and while everyone involved hopes to see the beloved, rock-steady reliever back soon, the Blue Jays’ bullpen needs help. |
To the group’s credit, Blue Jays relievers have posted a 3.54 ERA (7th in MLB). Even more impressive is the group’s strikeout rate of 9.96 per nine innings (2nd in MLB), part of a very encouraging shift recently after this organization lagged behind the rest of the league for too long with swing-and-miss arms. Jeff Hoffman has bounced back from some midseason struggles, too, and once again looks every bit of the dominant closer we saw in April. The trade market might be thin on starting pitchers that appeal to the Blue Jays, though, which matters here. Adding another depth starter doesn’t move the needle much this season. If the Blue Jays target a starter, it needs to be someone capable of pitching in the first three games of a postseason series -- someone who can raise the ceiling, not just the floor. If that pitcher isn’t out there, then pivoting to an all-in approach with the bullpen makes plenty of sense. Without García, whether it be for weeks or months, that only grows clearer. This won’t be new ground for the Blue Jays. In 2023, Ross Atkins aimed high by acquiring then-reliever Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals, a move that worked well down the stretch. This front office has targeted relievers with control remaining in the past, too, which is always attractive for an organization with money to spend today and tomorrow. García could still pitch big innings -- and soon -- but this is just another reason for the Blue Jays to move aggressively and decisively over the next two weeks. |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
AROUND THE LEAGUE: TRADE DEADLINE |
Taking a look around the rest of baseball, our 30 writers at MLB.com put together a list of each club’s approach to the Trade Deadline. The tricky part is always teams stuck in the middle, which is a group that’s grown with the introduction of three Wild Card spots. Money matters, too, which is where the Blue Jays should have a clear advantage over some other clubs. |
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BEST OF THE BEST ... PITCHES |
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Coming out of the “first half,” our Brent Maguire took a look at the most valuable individual pitches across Major League Baseball, from Joe Ryan’s four-seamer to Tarik Skubal’s changeup and Jacob deGrom’s slider. You can read the full list here, which features a Blue Jays reliever and his standout curveball. |
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