Toronto’s injury updates bring a cautious dose of hope: Kevin Gausman is not mentioned; instead, the Blue Jays revealed their plan for right-hander Bieber to start a Florida Complex League rehab Monday, while Alejandro Kirk’s progression could lead to a rehab
The Toronto Blue Jays have not seen much game action from Kevin Bieber this season, but the calendar is about to change. Manager John Schneider said Friday that Bieber will begin a rehab assignment on Monday in the Florida Complex League.
Bieber’s first step is specific: Schneider said the 30-year-old right-hander is scheduled to throw two innings Monday, then build up his volume from there. This comes after Bieber entered training camp with arm fatigue and has not pitched in any game action this season.
Schneider also described what the Blue Jays found during the off-season. Bieber underwent an MRI that showed “nothing was wrong, just forearm fatigue,” Schneider said. It’s a callback to a long road already traveled this year—Bieber returned from Tommy John surgery last August and helped Toronto reach the World Series.
What makes the timing hit harder for Toronto is the pitching situation it’s currently working around. Bieber finished the regular season with seven starts for the Blue Jays. throwing 40.1 innings while striking out 37 and posting a 3.57 ERA. But Jose Berrios and Cody Ponce are both out for the season, leaving Toronto’s starting rotation short. Bieber’s eventual return, Schneider said, would provide a huge boost to their depleted starting pitching depth.
Even with that major piece moving toward the field, Schneider pointed to more movement in the bullpen. Yimi Garcia threw a two-inning bullpen of around 30 pitches on Friday. The plan for Garcia is to face live hitters by next week. a step that suggests Toronto’s late-inning options could also get stronger soon.
In the catching department, the Blue Jays’ update carried its own kind of urgency. Injured catcher Alejandro Kirk will be in Toronto this weekend to check in with Blue Jays staff and ramp up his hitting progression. Schneider said Kirk will begin hitting off machines, then live pitchers, before progressing to minor-league games. If everything follows the plan, Schneider said Kirk could begin a rehab assignment late next week.
Kirk has been limited since his season began. The two-time all-star fractured his catching thumb just five games into the season. and Schneider said he’d miss at least six weeks. While he’s been rehabbing in Dunedin. Kirk has been regularly catching bullpens and live batting practices. and Schneider said he’s ready to catch in games.
Toronto Blue Jays Bieber rehab assignment Florida Complex League Alejandro Kirk injury update Yimi Garcia bullpen Tommy John surgery forearm fatigue Jose Berrios Cody Ponce
So Bieber just… comes back Monday? That’s wild.
I read Bieber has Tommy John like last year, and now it’s just forearm fatigue again?? Sounds like the Jays are trying to force it before the season really starts.
Wait Kirk’s thumb fracture but he’s already catching bullpens? Like doesn’t that mess up the grip part? Maybe they changed what “catching” means now lol. Also late next week rehab?? seems rushed.
This is why I hate all the rehab talk, never know who’s actually playing. They said nothing was wrong just forearm fatigue… so what was the point of the MRI if it was just tired? And Garcia facing live hitters next week like that automatically fixes the bullpen.