PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 20: Addison Barger #47 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on in the dugout during an MLB game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 20, 2025 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays face an increasingly difficult climb in the American League Wild Card race with just a few days to go until the trade deadline, making every healthy contributor critical if they hope to keep their postseason hopes alive.
And that urgency has only intensified as several key players remain sidelined, including one of the club’s most promising young hitters.
While Toronto continues searching for momentum, the organization is nearing a critical point in Addison Barger’s recovery from multiple injuries. The latest updates suggest the Blue Jays will soon have to determine whether a meaningful return this season is still realistic, or if it makes more sense to simply shut Barger down for the season.
Toronto Blue Jays’ Addison Barger Close To Season Ending Decision
Barger’s recovery has progressed far slower than initially hoped, and the timeline is beginning to work against both the player and the club.
“Even if Barger were to resume a more clearly defined rehab plan this coming week, he would be out until at least mid-August,” Gregor Chisholm reported for the Toronto Star. “Once the earliest return date slips into September, conversations will turn to whether they should just wait until 2027.”
That timeline effectively establishes an early-August checkpoint for Toronto. If Barger cannot begin meaningful baseball activities soon, the organization could decide that he should begin preparing for next season after an effectively lost campaign for the Blue Jays this year.
Manager John Schneider acknowledged both the uncertainty and the frustration surrounding Barger’s recovery.
“We’re still hoping for the best,” Schneider said of Barger, per Chisholm. “I think we’re getting to the point where we either say go or no. Dealing with those two things has been tough. He’s frustrated.”
The comments illustrate just how close the Blue Jays are to making a difficult decision on one of their young building blocks.
Toronto Blue Jays Hit Unfortunate Addison Barger Injury Setback
The latest injury report has only reinforced concerns about Barger’s ability to return this season.
“The Blue Jays need all the help they can get to climb out of this hole, but their return from the break brought more bad news than good, particularly with Addison Barger (back, right elbow), who has still not started any level of rehab activity,” Keegan Matheson reported for MLB.com. “With no level of activity yet, this is getting worrying for Barger, who represented such upside this season but has only taken 22 at-bats.. He’ll need weeks to build back up, almost like his own shortened Spring Training at this point, so the Blue Jays need to see some movement here by early August.”
That early-August benchmark now appears to be the organization’s deadline for Barger’s hopes of returning this season. If meaningful progress does not arrive soon, the Blue Jays may opt to shut Barger down, prioritize a full recovery and begin preparing him for what they hope will be a healthy return in 2027.