The Toronto Blue Jays have been making it work without outfielder Addison Barger, but the lineup still feels incomplete without him. Barger has not appeared in a major league game since being scratched before a May 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Angels because of right elbow soreness.
Despite the injuries piling up around the roster, Toronto has quietly played some of their best baseball in recent weeks. The Blue Jays have gone 10-8 since Barger’s latest setback, climbing back to one game under .500 and moving into third place in the American League East. Considering how difficult the opening stretch of the season looked, simply getting back into the middle of the division race has been meaningful progress.
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Barger is expected to miss his 20th consecutive game when Toronto faces the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. But there is finally some encouraging update on his recovery timeline.
According to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, the Blue Jays are planning for Barger to resume hitting as early as Saturday.
At Blue Jays complex in Dunedin on Friday:
🔘Tommy Nance & Yimi Garcia are throwing bullpens; Garcia's next step could be another live BP or a rehab game
🔘Alejandro Kirk is taking on-field batting practice
🔘Addison Barger's scheduled to resume hitting (could happen Saturday)— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) May 28, 2026
Once a player begins swinging regularly without discomfort, the next phase usually involves batting practice progression and eventually a minor league rehab assignment. Manager John Schneider acknowledged on Monday that the elbow recovery had been slower than the organization initially anticipated, making this update particularly significant (h/t Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith). Even with the progress, Barger is likely still two weeks away from returning to major league action.
This season has been difficult for Barger so far. The 26-year-old previously missed more than a month after suffering bilateral ankle sprains on April 5 against the Chicago White Sox. He injured both ankles on the same play after landing awkwardly at first base. When he finally returned on May 9, the elbow issue surfaced the following game and has kept him sidelined ever since.
In total, Barger has appeared in just nine games this season, going 1-for-22 at the plate. Coming off the best year of his career, the expectation for Barger entering 2026 was high.
Barger was coming off the best season of his career after slashing .243/.301/.756 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs across 135 regular-season games in 2025. He played even better during Toronto’s postseason run, batting .367 with three home runs and nine RBIs while also delivering the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.
That version of Barger is still very much part of Toronto’s plans. The challenge now is getting him healthy to stay on the field long enough to rediscover his best form.
Related: Blue Jays Receive Injury News After Orioles Games