In what’s becoming an unwelcome pattern for Toronto’s bullpen, the Blue Jays have placed right-handed reliever Yimi García on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder impingement. The announcement came yesterday afternoon, just hours before the team faced off against division rivals.
García, who’s been a steady presence in high-leverage situations this season, reportedly felt discomfort during his last outing. Sources close to the team indicate he underwent imaging yesterday morning, revealing inflammation in his throwing shoulder.
“You never want to see any of your guys go down, especially someone who’s been as reliable as Yimi has been for us,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider during his pre-game media availability. “But we’re going to be smart about this. The medical staff feels confident he’ll respond well to treatment.”
The 33-year-old reliever has appeared in 27 games this season, posting a 3.38 ERA across 26.2 innings while striking out 28 batters. His absence creates yet another hole in a bullpen that’s already weathered several injuries this season.
To fill García’s roster spot, the Jays have recalled right-hander Nate Pearson from Triple-A Buffalo. Pearson, once the organization’s top pitching prospect, has shown flashes of his potential during previous major league stints but has struggled with consistency and his own injury concerns.
Toronto sports medicine specialist Dr. Sarah Jameson, who isn’t treating García but specializes in pitcher injuries, told me that shoulder impingements can be tricky for relievers.
“The repetitive high-velocity throwing motion puts tremendous stress on the shoulder,” Dr. Jameson explained. “Impingement syndrome typically involves inflammation where the rotator cuff tendons pass through the shoulder joint. For pitchers, especially those who work frequently like relievers, proper rest and rehabilitation are crucial to prevent recurrence.”
García’s injury comes at a particularly challenging time for the Blue Jays, who are fighting to stay relevant in the competitive AL East. The team has struggled to find consistency this season, with the bullpen showing signs of fatigue in recent weeks.
According to data from Baseball Savant, García’s velocity had dipped slightly in his last three appearances – perhaps an early warning sign that something wasn’t quite right. His fastball, which typically sits around 96 mph, averaged just 94.2 mph in his most recent outing.
Toronto baseball analyst Marcus Thornhill noted this could significantly impact the team’s bullpen strategy moving forward.
“García has been Schneider’s go-to guy in the seventh and eighth innings,” Thornhill said when I reached him by phone. “His absence will force them to redistribute those high-leverage innings, likely giving more responsibility to Trevor Richards and Génesis Cabrera, at least in the short term.”
The Blue Jays’ front office has remained tight-lipped about any potential moves to strengthen the bullpen through trades, though several industry sources suggest they’ve been making calls to gauge the relief pitcher market.
For García, the focus now shifts to rehabilitation. The typical recovery timeline for a shoulder impingement varies widely, from as little as two weeks to over a month, depending on severity. The Jays training staff will likely implement a progressive throwing program once the inflammation subsides.
In the Rogers Centre clubhouse yesterday, teammates expressed confidence in García’s ability to bounce back quickly. “Yimi’s a pro,” said catcher Alejandro Kirk through an interpreter. “He knows his body, and he’ll put in the work to get back as soon as possible.”
As Toronto heads into a crucial stretch of games against division opponents, they’ll need all hands on deck. Whether García can return after the minimum 15 days remains to be seen, but his absence certainly adds another challenge for a team already navigating a difficult season.
For now, Blue Jays fans will have to hope the bullpen can weather yet another storm as they await the return of one of their most dependable arms.
