Max Scherzer goes on the injured list as George Springer runs bases and takes live work toward a comeback for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto’s roster is again moving on the fly, but the timing carries a clear split: Max Scherzer is stepping away with fresh setbacks, while George Springer is quietly ticking forward toward a return.
The double development is happening as the Blue Jays manage a new season rhythm—Chase Lee’s recall from Triple-A Buffalo added one layer to the turnover. even as the club tries to steady itself in the middle of injury-for-recovery cycles.. For Toronto. the next several days shape not only rotation planning. but also how the lineup’s core function when one of their key right-handed bats and all-around game pieces starts to come back.
Springer, 36, has been out since April 11 after fracturing his left big toe.. Monday brought a dose of normalcy without forcing a leap: he took his first live at-bats since the injury against Double-A lefty Mason Olson. then ran through simulated baserunning scenarios while training staff watched closely.. Head trainer Jose Ministral and strength and conditioning coach Scott Weberg were on hand. and once the session ended. Springer sat on the dugout bench with a smile.
“I had a good day. I’m excited about it. ” Springer said after the work. adding that his goal is simple—keep his swing and movement as close to normal as possible.. Managing the pain is part of the process, but the tone from Springer was that the mechanics looked right again.. He said his swing was in a good place even after time away from competition. and that he’s willing to accept the reality of monitoring symptoms day to day rather than forcing a timeline.
That mindset matters because toe injuries can be deceptive: a player can feel fine while hitting. only to discover the cost later when pushing off for sprinting. sliding. or hard turns.. Springer’s Tuesday plan underlines the caution.. He’s set to continue working on the bases and take more live batting practice. this time against Bisons righty Pat Gallagher. as the club keeps asking the same question—does it hurt when it matters?
For the pitching side, Scherzer’s situation is more immediate in its impact.. The veteran addressed reporters after being placed on the injured list as a result of “the double whammy” of right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation—issues he said have been present for weeks.. The plan starts with rest: he’s been ordered to rest for a week before resuming activity. with the follow-on timeline dependent on how he responds once he begins throwing again.
Scherzer described the moment he noticed something wasn’t right.. He said he watched film from his last start against Cleveland and saw a mechanical adjustment related to the foot injury.. Then. when he went to the bullpen to try to correct course and get back into his normal mechanics. he realized he couldn’t throw as he normally would.. He emphasized that there’s nothing structurally wrong, framing this as a healing-and-timing problem rather than a mystery injury.
In the meantime, the Blue Jays’ rotation and bullpen usage will have to flex.. Toronto is listed as TBD for Scherzer’s scheduled start on Wednesday. with Eric Lauer positioned as the likely option if Scherzer isn’t needed Tuesday behind Trey Yesavage.. Yesavage is also scheduled to become the first returning injured player to see game action when he starts against the Boston Red Sox.. Separately. Jose Berrios will complete his rehab start Tuesday with Buffalo as planned. and with the rotation moving closer to the version the club envisioned during the winter. Berrios is a key placeholder for what comes next.
The ripple effects don’t stop at pitching and the top of the lineup.. Yimi Garcia. shifted to the 60-day injured list over the weekend. is throwing another live batting practice Tuesday and could progress to rehab games afterward.. Addison Barger is scheduled to run the bases later this week and could see rehab action in Dunedin over the weekend.. Even the day-to-day decisions at shortstop hint at how Toronto is managing load: Andres Gimenez didn’t start for a second consecutive game Monday because he was “a little banged up. ” with the plan to give him a breather after playing heavily.
From a baseball standpoint, injuries create a chain reaction across roles, not just positions.. When a starter like Scherzer goes down. the immediate question is who fills the spot—but the longer one is how the bullpen is taxed in the games surrounding that start.. Meanwhile. Springer’s return is less about filling a vacancy and more about reintroducing reliability: a healthy-running. pain-managed toe can determine how often the club takes extra bases. how aggressively it attacks with extra-outcome baserunning decisions. and whether lineup depth can hold up when pitchers try to exploit hesitation.
With Springer inching toward live contact and baserunning tests—and Scherzer entering a rest-and-rebuild window—this stretch looks like a balancing act for the Blue Jays.. Over the next few days. Toronto will find out whether those two paths converge into momentum or force yet another scramble through the depth chart.