A Rough Start to Spring
Ottawa Blue Jays fans, brace yourselves, the 2026 season hasn't started yet, and Canada's team is already dealing with a full-blown injury crisis. Three starting pitchers are now on the injured list as spring training winds down, and the depth of the damage is raising real questions about how Toronto will compete once the regular season begins.
The trouble started when Shane Bieber reported to camp with right forearm inflammation, sidelining the veteran right-hander before he could even get into a groove. Then came the bigger blow: José Berríos, one of the rotation's most reliable arms, was ruled out with a stress fracture in his right elbow, a serious injury that could keep him out for a significant chunk of the season.
Yesavage Joins the IL
As if that wasn't enough, the news got worse on Thursday when MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reported that Trey Yesavage, a player many had tabbed as an early AL Rookie of the Year favourite, is also headed to the injured list with a right shoulder impingement.
Yesavage had been building momentum after a standout postseason run that cemented him as a legitimate piece of Toronto's starting rotation going forward. Manager John Schneider offered cautious optimism, noting that Yesavage "reported to camp" with the issue and is currently feeling better, with a minor league start scheduled for March 25. But he has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring, not exactly reassuring.
Who's Left Standing?
With more than half its projected starters sidelined, the Blue Jays' rotation currently looks like this:
- Kevin Gausman
- Dylan Cease
- Eric Lauer
- Cody Ponce
- Max Scherzer
It's a group that leans heavily on Toronto's splashy offseason acquisition. Dylan Cease, signed to a seven-year deal after his time with the San Diego Padres, now looks like an even more critical piece of the puzzle than originally anticipated. If Gausman and Cease can stay healthy and eat innings, the Jays may be able to tread water while Bieber, Berríos, and Yesavage work their way back.
Eric Lauer threw 68 pitches over four innings in a minor league tune-up on Wednesday, showing he's ready to step into the mix. But beyond the top two starters, questions abound.
Ottawa Fans Watching Closely
For the sizable Blue Jays following here in Ottawa and across Eastern Ontario, spring training was supposed to be a time for optimism. Instead, it's turned into a daily injury watch. Local fans who've been following the team through a transitional rebuild are used to disappointment, but losing this much pitching depth before April arrives is a new kind of test.
The hope is that the IL stint timeline works in Toronto's favour, with Berríos and Bieber potentially returning by mid-season to bolster a rotation that currently looks stretched thin. But for now, it's a worrying sign heading into what was supposed to be a bounce-back year.
Keep an eye on Yesavage's March 25 minor league start. It could be one of the more telling signs of whether Toronto's injury troubles are manageable or something worse.
Source: blogTO, reporting by Keegan Matheson (MLB.com)
