TORONTO, ON- MARCH 29 – Right fielder Addison Barger #47 of the Toronto Blue Jays as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Athletics at Rogers Centre in Toronto. March 29, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays are limping into the All-Star break after a first half defined by injury setbacks and struggle for playoff contention.
But, with postseason positioning still in mind, the organization has been relatively cautious with injured players who could still return this season, especially those expected to play major roles down the stretch.
One of those players is hard-hitting sparkplug Addison Barger, whose rehab progress has become a focal point for the Blue Jays’ coaching staff as it attempts to balance urgency with long-term health.
And the team seemed to reveal some bad news regarding a setback in Barger’s recovery, but manager John Schnieder was quick to clarify that wasn’t the case.
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Schneider downplayed any concern about Barger’s status after the young position player returned to Toronto and a scheduled rehab assignment in Dunedin was abruptly canceled.
“I think to just see everyone here, get an in-person feel of how he’s doing and kind of look at him,” Schneider explained when asked about why Barger was in Toronto, according to the Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm. “It wasn’t a setback or anything like that. I think it’s just get up here, get around the guys and then here’s the plan, go do it.”
Though Schneider was quick to dismiss fears of a setback, he did acknowledge that Barger had been dealing with “soreness.”
“I think he can manage the throwing and all the reports have been fine,” the manager added, per Chisholm. “I think some soreness has kind of crept in throughout the last couple weeks with actually hitting the way he swings. But I think throwing is OK.”
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The Blue Jays have been particularly careful with Barger given his importance to their roster flexibility, especially as they continue to deal with multiple injury absences across the lineup.
While the organization has emphasized that there is no setback, some physical discomfort has been acknowledged as part of Barger’s ongoing recovery process. After serving as a key to the Blue Jays’ World Series run last year, Barger was sidelined early in this season before returning for one game and then suffering his latest.
“Barger is expected to require about a week’s worth of rehab games before being reinstated to the Blue Jays’ active roster, setting him up to return in early July if all goes well,” CBS Sports reported before Barger appeared in Toronto. “The 26-year-old has been shelved since mid-May with right elbow inflammation, and he’s played only nine games for Toronto this season because of injuries.”
For Toronto, the focus now shifts toward ensuring Barger’s return aligns with both his health and the club’s competitive timeline, with the organization continuing to prioritize caution over speed as the season progresses.