Injuries & Moves: Belt out with stomach virus
LATEST NEWS
Sept. 4: 1B/DH Brandon Belt (lower back tightness, illness) out again
Belt, who was a late scratch prior to Sunday’s finale in Denver with lower back tightness, stayed back at the team hotel in Oakland on Monday dealing with a stomach virus. Manager John Schneider said Belt could still be available for the final two games of the series against the A’s depending on how he feels. Having No. 17 prospect Spencer Horwitz around allowed the Blue Jays to slide him into the lineup and keep Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a DH day. Schneider used the same combination on Monday. Belt's back isn’t expected to be a long-term issue, but it’s still worth daily monitoring since it can be an unpredictable problem.
Sept. 2: C Danny Jansen (fractured right middle finger) placed on 10-day IL; C Tyler Heineman recalled from Triple-A Buffalo
Jansen took a foul tip off his unprotected right hand in the sixth inning of Friday's win in Denver and tests revealed a fracture to his right middle finger. This is a major blow to the Blue Jays, who are already without Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman. Jansen has battled through some terrible luck this season, being hit by 10 pitches and countless foul tips.
Alejandro Kirk quickly becomes one of the most important players on this roster and the Blue Jays will push him as hard as they can down the stretch, mixing in Heineman sparingly. Last season, Jansen missed 35 days with a fractured finger and needed 27 days until his rehab assignment began, so he'll be racing against the clock to get back before the end of the regular season.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day IL
SS Bo Bichette (right quad strain)
Expected return: Potentially mid-September
Bichette returned for just eight games after spending three weeks on the IL with right patellar tendinitis. This new injury in the same area is one Bichette had been playing through for a few days, but it finally advanced to a point where the Blue Jays need to shut him down for a few days.
Bichette was running at a medium pace on Sept. 1 in Colorado, though, which is an encouraging sign that he could ramp up in time to return at some point during the Blue Jays' next homestand. (Last updated: Sept. 1)
3B Matt Chapman (right middle finger sprain)
Expected return: Mid-September
Chapman dealt with this issue earlier in August after he jammed his middle finger on a weight rack, but he played through the pain for a couple of weeks. It worsened during a long at-bat on Aug. 27, and Chapman went for an MRI exam before being diagnosed with a sprain.
The Blue Jays should have a clearer feel for Chapman's progression in the coming days. (Last updated: Aug. 28)
RHP Erik Swanson (thoracic spine inflammation)
Expected return: TBD
Swanson left an appearance on Aug. 26 against the Guardians and was placed on the IL the next morning. His timeline should become clearer in the coming days, but it's a difficult loss for the Blue Jays given that Swanson is one of their best relievers and used often. Swanson has already made 60 appearances this season, covering 58 innings. (Last updated: Aug. 27)
60-day IL
RHP Hagen Danner (left oblique strain)
Expected return: 2024
Danner left the Blue Jays' Aug. 11 game against the Cubs after recording the first out of his Major League career. He was placed on the IL the following day with a left oblique strain. When rosters expanded on Sept. 1, Danner was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster, effectively ending his season. (Last updated: Sept. 1)
INF/OF Otto Lopez (left oblique strain)
Expected return: TBD
Lopez, the Blue Jays' No. 14 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was batting .251 with a .637 OPS, two homers and 31 RBIs at Triple-A Buffalo before landing on the 60-day IL on Aug. 1 with a left oblique strain. The 24-year-old hasn't appeared in any Major League games in 2023, but his positional versatility makes him a valuable, big league-ready depth option for the Blue Jays. (Last updated: Aug. 1)
RHP Adam Cimber (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: TBD
Cimber traveled to the Blue Jays' complex in Florida earlier in July, but he isn't throwing yet. The right-hander will need to build back up when he's cleared to throw, since he last pitched on June 18. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 19. (Last updated: July 19)