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Blue Jays utility player Addison Barger has been put on the 10-day injured list, further testing the Toronto ball club’s ability to withstand the multitude of injuries that have been piling up in the early days of the season.<\/p>\n
Barger looked sore after charging to first base during the third inning<\/a> of a Sunday game against the Chicago White Sox. He later left the game with what the team described<\/a> as bilateral ankle discomfort. The team announced Tuesday that he’d been placed on the injured list, citing a left ankle sprain.<\/p>\n Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Tuesday that it was hoped this would be “a minimal stint” on the injured list for Barger.<\/p>\n Barger, 26, has had a slow start to the season, going just 1 for 19 at the plate so far<\/a>. He’s also drawn three walks, driven in two runs and scored one run.<\/p>\n Barger is the Blue Jay who famously hit a pinch-hit grand slam in Game 1 of last year’s World Series<\/a>, the day after sleeping on the pull-out couch of teammate Davis Schneider. The team is handing out a related T-shirt, commemorating the moment with a related Addison Barger couch T-shirt giveaway at an upcoming April 11 game<\/a> at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.<\/p>\n His Game 1 blast last October was also the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Blue Jays announced several other roster moves on Tuesday, including bringing the recently acquired infielder Tyler Fitzgerald<\/a> up to the major-league ball club from Toronto’s AAA affiliate in Buffalo.<\/p>\n Toronto also designated pitcher Josh Fleming for assignment, while calling up lefthanded pitcher Patrick Corbin, a major-league veteran of more than 10 seasons<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Jays also recently optioned 29-year-old relief pitcher Brendon Little<\/a> to triple-A Buffalo after he struggled to start the season, giving up 10 earned runs in just three and two-third innings pitched, along with three walks and 10 hits. <\/p>\n Multiple Toronto players injured<\/p>\n The Blue Jays are dealing with a raft of injuries early in the season, with Barger joining the list of key players who are out of the mix for the moment.<\/p>\n Starting catcher Alejandro Kirk had to undergo surgery<\/a> to repair a thumb fracture that occurred during the same series<\/a> with the White Sox where Barger was hurt. Kirk is expected to be away from the diamond for weeks while he recovers.<\/p>\n The Blue Jays are now relying on backup catcher Tyler Heineman and rookie Brandon Valenzuela to hold down duties behind the plate while Kirk is absent.<\/p>\n Multiple starting pitchers are not playing right now due to injury, including Cody Ponce, who was hurt in his first start of the year for Toronto. He’s due to undergo surgery next week to repair a sprained ACL in his right knee.<\/p>\n “Hopefully we can play late into the season and get him back in some capacity,” Schneider, the Jays’ skipper, said Tuesday.<\/p>\n Three other starters \u2014 Jos\u00e9 Berr\u00edos, Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage \u2014 haven’t pitched for the Blue Jays yet this season, but all are expected to be back.<\/p>\n Outfielder Anthony Santander is likely out for most of the season while he recovers from shoulder surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n WATCH | The Dodgers return to Toronto: Blue Jays host Dodgers in World Series rematch<\/p>\n The Los Angeles Dodgers return to Toronto’s Rogers Centre on Monday night to play a three-game series against the Blue Jays. CBC’s Greg Ross breaks down the rivalry and what you can expect from this week’s games. <\/p>\n The Blue Jays are in the midst of a five-game losing streak ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers \u2014 the team that beat Toronto in seven games in the World Series last fall. <\/p>\n Toronto lost the opener of a three-game series with the Dodgers on Monday night, by a lopsided score<\/a> of 14-2.<\/p>\n Fleming, the pitcher designated for assignment on Tuesday, threw three innings of relief for Toronto during Monday night’s blowout loss to L.A. <\/p>\n He gave up six hits, two walks and had four earned runs during that appearance<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fleming entered the game to relieve starter Max Scherzer, who left after two innings of work.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775613735_403_default.jpg\")
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