Injuries & Moves: Romano to IL with elbow inflammation
LATEST NEWS
June 1: RHP Jordan Romano (right elbow inflammation) placed on 15-day IL; LHP Brendon Little recalled from Triple-A Buffalo
Romano's right elbow "didn't bounce back" from his last outing, according to manager John Schneider, but the good news is that tests showed no structural damage, only inflammation. Romano also dealt with right elbow inflammation in Spring Training and opened the season on the IL. There are no plans to give Romano an anti-inflammatory injection like he received in March.
In Romano's place, Yimi García is expected to take over the majority of the save situations. Chad Green could mix in as well.
May 31: RHP Alek Manoah (right elbow sprain) placed on 15-day IL
Manoah left early in Wednesday's win over the White Sox in Chicago and an MRI has revealed a sprain to the UCL in his right elbow. Manoah will meet with Dr. Keith Meister on Thursday for an in-person evaluation, so the Blue Jays should know more in a week, but it's clear that Manoah will not be pitching any time in the coming weeks. Manoah described a "pinchy" sensation prior to exiting the game, and he had felt some discomfort in that elbow the start prior. The Blue Jays will continue to evaluate him and we should know more following Thursday's appointment.
May 31: RHP Ryan Burr acquired from the Phillies for cash and added to roster; RHP Joel Kuhnel designated for assignment
Burr quickly entered the Blue Jays' bullpen following the trade. While he hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2022 with the White Sox, Burr was putting together an excellent season with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate. Burr posted a 2.16 ERA with 29 strikeouts in just 16 2/3 innings, so he'll get a chance to show the Blue Jays that he's worth being part of their bullpen depth picture moving forward.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Jordan Romano (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: TBD
Romano's elbow wasn't "bouncing back" as well as he'd hoped and tests revealed inflammation. The good news for now is that no structural damage was detected, but this is the second time Romano has hit the IL with the same issue in 2024. He will be shut down from throwing for a few days before the Blue Jays chart out a plan, so Romano's timeline should become much clearer when he begins to throw again. (Last updated: June 1)
RHP Alek Manoah (right elbow sprain)
Expected return: TBD
Manoah left his start on May 29 after feeling a "pinchy" sensation in his right elbow. He was "guarding" his elbow earlier in that start, but when he began to fully extend his elbow through pitches, that's when the discomfort arose. An MRI revealed a sprain to Manoah's UCL in his right elbow, which is worrisome, so he will meet with Dr. Keith Meister on June 6 for an in-person evaluation. The Blue Jays should have a clearer picture for Manoah's diagnosis and eventual recovery after that meeting. (Last updated: May 31)
RHP Bowden Francis (right forearm extensor tendinitis)
Expected return: Potentially June 4
Francis was with the Blue Jays in Toronto for the start of the set against the Pirates after building up on a rehab assignment. It looks like he'll be a central part of the plan to replace Alek Manoah (right UCL sprain) in the rotation in the short term. While the Blue Jays aren't about to ask Francis to give them seven innings, he could pitch something in the range of four innings and 60 pitches, piggybacking off a reliever. (Last updated: May 31)
LHP Ricky Tiedemann (left ulnar nerve inflammation; No. 1 prospect on Blue Jays top 30 list)
Expected return: Potentially mid-to-late June
The Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect dodged a more serious injury here, so while this is a sigh of relief in the short term, the Blue Jays hope their prized lefty can stay healthy for the remainder of the season and build some momentum, which has been difficult over the past two seasons.
Tiedemann threw a live BP session on May 30 in Dunedin, Fla., and manager John Schneider expects him to make a rehab appearance in a game next, either in the Florida Complex League or with Single-A Dunedin. If Tiedemann's ramp-up goes as planned, he may be a factor again by the end of June -- and he's only a few hot starts away from becoming a legitimate option for the Blue Jays if a need arises. (Last updated: May 31)
RHP Yariel Rodríguez (thoracic spine inflammation)
Expected return: Potentially mid-June
Rodríguez got up to 43 pitches over two innings in his more recent rehab outing on May 31. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks with a strikeout, and while the results don't matter much right now, they'll start to soon as Rodríguez works his way back to the big leagues. While Bowden Francis is expected to get the first crack at replacing Alek Manoah's rotation spot, Rodríguez could very well be a factor in a couple of weeks. (Last updated: June 1)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
LHP Brandon Barriera (Tommy John surgery, No. 4 prospect on Blue Jays top 30 list)
Expected return: 2025
Barriera's agent announced in late April that the 20-year-old lefty had undergone Tommy John surgery with an internal brace to repair a Grade 2 UCL tear and was placed on the Minor League season-ending injured list. The Blue Jays' No. 4 prospect will miss the rest of the 2024 season and likely part of the 2025 season, though that timeline should be clearer early next year.
This is another difficult setback for the Blue Jays' first-round pick from 2022. Barriera was shut down after the Draft that year, dealt with injuries in 2023 and is now done for '24, leaving him with just 21 2/3 pro innings under his belt. Barriera had impressed in camp and was touching 97 mph regularly, but for now, he'll focus on the rehab process and attempt to come back strong in his age-21 season. (Last updated: May 17)