Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: Another rehab outing on tap
Rotowire
Francis (forearm) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Francis opened the rehab assignment Tuesday and covered two scoreless innings. The 28-year-old righty-hander will likely fill a long-relief role upon his return, so he could be deemed ready for activation following Sunday's outing.
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Blue Jays' Yariel Rodriguez: Rehab assignment coming
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Rodriguez (back) is scheduled to make a rehab appearance at Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
After throwing off a mound earlier this week, Rodriguez is set to make his first rehab appearance Tuesday. He made four starts prior to his back flaring up, but it's unclear if he'll reclaim his rotation spot once he's back with the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Chad Green: Slated for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Green (shoulder) is expected to make a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Buffalo, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Green has been nursing a right shoulder strain since mid-April but seems close to returning to the big-league roster. Assuming he doesn't endure any setbacks, Green could rejoin the Blue Jays before the end of the month.
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Blue Jays' Joey Votto: Hitting live BP
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Votto (ankle) started hitting live BP this week and could start playing games soon, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Votto has been undergoing a slow ramp-up period with a sprained right ankle he sustained in March, and is close to playing in games. Once he's ready, Votto will likely report to Triple-A Buffalo for game action.
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Blue Jays' Kevin Kiermaier: Out of lineup Friday
Rotowire
Kermaier is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against Tampa Bay.
The left-handed batter will start from the dugout with the Blue Jays facing southpaw Tyler Alexander. Daulton Varsho will start in center field and bat seventh in place of Kiermaier with Davis Schneider and George Springer rounding out Toronto's outfield.
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Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Back in lineup
Rotowire
Turner (illness) is back in the lineup as the designated hitter for Friday's game against the Rays.
Turner was one of three sick Toronto players and missed the starting lineup for team's last three games due to the illness. The primary designated hitter will return against Tampa Bay, slashing .246/.317/.405 on the season with 16 RBI.
Blue Jays' Arjun Nimmala: Moved to development list
Rotowire
Single-A Dunedin transferred Nimmala to the development list Tuesday.
The 20th overall pick in last year's draft was overmatched at Single-A, as he was hitting .167 with 43 strikeouts in 29 games. Nimmala won't turn 19 until after the season, so he's got plenty of time to figure things out. The Jays could have assigned him to the Florida Complex League, but they presumably want to work on some things with him before he gets back into structured gameplay.
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Blue Jays' George Springer: Nabs seventh steal
Rotowire
Springer went 1-for-4 with a walk, a double, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.
Back in the leadoff spot, Springer reached base multiple times for the first time in 12 games, something he last accomplished April 26. It's been a tough season so far for the veteran outfielder, and through 166 plate appearances Springer is slashing a sluggish .201/.277/.295 with three homers, seven steals, six RBI and 14 runs.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Swipes fifth bag
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Varsho went 0-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.
Batting second once again, Varsho stole his fifth base of the season in the fifth inning but was left stranded at third base in an eventual 3-2 loss. The 27-year-old is struggling to produce consistent contact -- he's batting only .150 (6-for-40) in May -- but over half of Varsho's 27 hits on the season have gone for extra bases, as he has eight doubles and seven homers.
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Blue Jays' Bo Bichette: On base three times in loss
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Bichette went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles.
His two-run double in the third inning looked like it would be just enough offense to get the Jays the win, until Jordan Romano blew the save in the ninth. Bichette is finally catching fire at the plate, hitting safely in six straight games and batting .435 (10-for-23) over that stretch with a double, a homer, a steal, three runs and four RBI.
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Blue Jays' Yusei Kikuchi: Strikes out nine in no-decision
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Kikuchi didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against Baltimore, allowing one run on six hits and a walk in 4.1 innings. He struck out nine.
Kikuchi needed 88 pitches to record 11 outs, though he limited Baltimore to one run on Jordan Westburg's lead-off homer in the first while recording nine strikeouts for the third time this season. Kikuchi had gone at least six innings in his previous six starts -- he's 2-3 on the year with a 2.60 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 55:10 K:BB across 52 innings. The left-hander is currently on track to face the White Sox at home in his next start.
Romano (1-1) took a loss and a blown save in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat to the Orioles, allowing two runs on two hits without recording an out in the ninth inning.
Called upon to protect a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Romano gave up an infield single to Jordan Westburg leading off the frame before Adley Rutschman launched a two-run, walk-off homer. It's the first blown save of the year for Romano -- he'd been 6-for-6 in save chances prior to Wednesday. The 31-year-old right-hander sports a 5.06 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB through his first 10.2 innings this season.
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Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: Looks good in rehab outing
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Francis (forearm) struck out four batters and allowed only one hit over two scoreless innings Tuesday in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Buffalo.
The right-hander was shut down in late April due to forearm tendinitis, but Francis' sharp rehab outing suggests he's just about ready to rejoin the big-league staff. Alek Manoah is coming off a strong start as the fifth starter, so Francis will likely be ticketed for long relief when he returns. After a couple rough outings in the rotation to begin the season, Francis has 2.84 ERA and 5:3 K:BB in 6.1 relief innings for the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Orelvis Martinez: Returns to action at Triple-A
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Martinez (knee) has started in both of Triple-A Buffalo's last two games Sunday and Tuesday, going 1-for-7 with a home run and two walks between those contests.
Martinez was lifted in Friday's 12-7 win over Worcester when he was hit in the right knee by a pitch in the eighth inning, but after getting Saturday off, the 22-year-old looks to be healthy again. He's posted a .909 OPS through 154 plate appearances with Buffalo this season and should have a chance at making his MLB debut later on in 2024.
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Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Not starting Wednesday
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Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles.
Kiner-Falefa had started each of the Blue Jays' last seven games, and even after Tuesday's contest was postponed, manager John Schneider will give the infielder some additional rest before Toronto returns to action Friday versus the Rays. Ernie Clement will serve as Toronto's starting third baseman in Kiner-Falefa's stead.
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Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Remains out Wednesday
Rotowire
Turner (illness) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest in Baltimore.
Turner is one of a few Blue Jays players who have been under the weather of late, but he's the only one who will remain on the bench Wednesday. The Blue Jays are off Thursday, so Turner will aim to be back in the lineup Friday versus the Rays. Daniel Vogelbach will step in for Turner on Wednesday as Toronto's designated hitter.
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Blue Jays' George Springer: Returns to lineup
Rotowire
Springer (illness) will start in right field and bat leadoff in Wednesday's game in Baltimore.
Springer has been ill and was set to sit out Tuesday for the fourth time in five games before that game was rained out, but he's feeling well enough to rejoin the starting nine Wednesday. The 34-year-old enters play Wednesday slashing just .140/.170/.160 with a 32.1 percent strikeout rate since April 25.
