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Alek Manoah Alek Manoah May not pitch in majors this season
Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:29 AM
Manoah (elbow) may not have a spot available on the big-league roster when he's completed his rehab assignment, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Trade-deadline acquisition Shane Bieber (elbow) will beat Manoah back from the IL, and once the former Guardian joins the 26-man roster, the Blue Jays will already have six qualified options for the rotation. Manoah could work as a long reliever, but he has minor-league options remaining, and the organization may prefer to have the 27-year-old right-hander finish out the year in the rotation at Triple-A, and focus on getting ready to challenge for a starting job in Toronto next spring -- Bieber holds a player option for 2026 he's likely to decline, while both Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt will be free agents this winter. In his most recent rehab start Aug. 7, Manoah built up to 64 pitches (36 strikes) for Double-A New Hampshire, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks over three innings while striking out two. |
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Shane Bieber Shane Bieber One more rehab start on tap
Mon, Aug 11, 2025, 10:19 AM
Bieber (elbow) built up to 78 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Andres Soto of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The veteran righty allowed two runs on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings while striking out six, continuing a tantalizing run that has seen him post a 3.06 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and stellar 23:2 K:BB over 17.2 rehab innings since the All-Star break. The Blue Jays want Bieber to make one more rehab start before they debut their big trade-deadline acquisition, with manager John Schneider indicating his target workload will be 85 pitches. The team has yet to decide whether it will move to a six-man rotation when Bieber is activated from the IL, but Schneider seems to be against it. "You don't want to have that long of a layoff [between starts]," he said Saturday. Bieber hasn't pitched in the majors since April 2, 2024, his last outing with the Guardians before undergoing Tommy John surgery, but it appears as though he'll be ready to handle a regular workload right away once he's activated. |
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Ernie Clement Ernie Clement Comes up with clutch homer
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:56 PM
Clement went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers.
Analysis: Clement went yard for the third time in four games. His homer came in the ninth inning, just after the Blue Jays' bullpen coughed up a 4-3 lead, and Clement's long ball ended up being the difference in the game. The infielder has hit .333 (26-for-78) over his last 18 games, and with the recent power uptick, he appears to have shaken off the quiet stretch that defined his early July. For the season, Clement is at a .289/.323/.413 slash line with eight homers, 36 RBI, 63 runs scored, three stolen bases, 23 doubles and two triples over 117 contests. |
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Addison Barger Addison Barger Knocks homer in Sunday's win
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:54 PM
Barger went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers.
Analysis: Barger didn't start Saturday, going 0-for-1 off the bench. He's otherwise been strong in August, hitting .294 (10-for-34) with three homers and nine RBI over nine games this month. It's a continuation of a breakout year for the 25-year-old, who has carved out steady playing time between third base and right field. He's at a .267/.318/.511 slash line with 18 homers, 59 RBI, 52 runs scored and three stolen bases through 95 contests. |
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Homer, double in win
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:51 PM
Guerrero went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an RBI double in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers.
Analysis: Guerrero opened the scoring by plating Bo Bichette with a first-inning double. In the eighth, Guerrero's homer tied the game at 3-3. The first baseman has gone 12-for-39 (.308) with four homers, seven RBI and four doubles over nine games in August. He's up to 19 long balls, 64 RBI, 80 runs scored, five stolen bases, 28 doubles and a .296/.396/.488 slash line through 117 contests overall. |
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Mason Fluharty Mason Fluharty Snags first big-league save
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:49 PM
Fluharty struck out one without allowing a baserunner over two-thirds of an inning to earn the save in Sunday's 5-4 win over the Dodgers.
Analysis: Fluharty was stuck into one of the most fearsome situations after an unusually ineffective performance by Jeff Hoffman, who walked five batters Sunday. Fluharty inherited bases loaded with one out, and he got Shohei Ohtani to strike out before inducing a grounder from Mookie Betts that was enough to end the game. Fluharty is now at a 5.15 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 45:18 K:BB through 43.2 innings while collecting a save and four holds. He's mostly served in a low-leverage role this year -- he was only called upon for this save chance because he was one of two relievers left in the bullpen after the Blue Jays had to empty the tank due to Eric Lauer's poor start. |
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Jeff Hoffman Jeff Hoffman Blows save, backs into win
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:45 PM
Hoffman (7-4) walked five batters without allowing a hit or recording a strikeout over two-thirds of an inning, taking a blown save and picking up the win Sunday versus the Dodgers.
Analysis: Hoffman allowed an inherited runner to score the tying run after being brought in with two outs in the eighth inning. Ernie Clement restored the lead for the Blue Jays with a solo home run in the ninth, and Hoffman stayed in the game but struggled again. He ultimately threw just 10 of 33 pitches for strikes, but Mason Fluharty was able to work out of a jam to make the lead stick. Hoffman is now 26-for-31 on converting saves this season while posting an uninspiring 4.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 64:16 K:BB over 48 innings. He doesn't appear to be at risk of losing the closing job as long as Sunday's poor outing is an isolated incident. |
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Eric Lauer Eric Lauer Chased early versus Dodgers
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 6:40 PM
Lauer allowed three runs on six hits and four walks while striking out four over three innings in a no-decision versus the Dodgers on Sunday.
Analysis: Lauer didn't have much command, throwing just 42 of 71 pitches for strikes. He served up solo home runs to Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in the first inning and walked in a run in the third before his exit. Prior to Sunday, Lauer had pitched pretty well, posting a 2.57 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 34:4 K:BB over his previous six outings. His struggles in this start can be chalked up to a tough opponent -- he's earned the benefit of the doubt. On the year, Lauer has a 2.82 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 83:22 K:BB through 83 innings over 19 appearances (13 starts). The left-hander is projected to make his next start at home versus the Rangers. |
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Davis Schneider Davis Schneider Sitting against right-hander
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 2:27 PM
Schneider is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Analysis: While the Blue Jays went up against left-handed starting pitchers in the previous three contests, Schneider led off in each of those games and went a collective 4-for-13 with two home runs, one double, one walk and four RBI. Schneider should remain a regular in the lineup against lefties, but he'll retreat to the bench Sunday while right-hander Tyler Glasnow toes the rubber for the Dodgers. |
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Myles Straw Myles Straw Back on bench Sunday
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 2:25 PM
Straw is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Analysis: While the Blue Jays went up against left-handed starting pitchers in the previous three contests, Straw was included in the lineup for each of those games and went 2-for-10 with a walk and a run scored. Straw will return to his normal bench role for Sunday's finale while the Dodgers send right-hander Tyler Glasnow to the hill. |
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Alejandro Kirk Alejandro Kirk Resting Sunday
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 2:23 PM
Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Analysis: Kirk will get some rest for the Sunday afternoon game after he started behind the dish in both of the previous two contests. Tyler Heineman will handle catching duties for Toronto in the series finale. |
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Joey Loperfido Joey Loperfido Checking back into lineup
Sun, Aug 10, 2025, 2:21 PM
Loperfido (knee) will start in left field and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
Analysis: Loperfido was limited to a bench role in each of the previous three contests while he managed a bruised right knee, but his ability to make pinch-hitting appearances Friday and Saturday suggested that he was never at any real risk of requiring a stint on the injured list. With the 26-year-old stepping back into the starting nine for the series finale in Los Angeles, Davis Schneider will retreat to the bench. |
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Addison Barger Addison Barger Idle Saturday
Sat, Aug 9, 2025, 5:37 PM
Barger is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Saturday.
Analysis: Barger will begin Saturday's game on the bench, with Myles Straw in right field and Buddy Kennedy drawing the start at third base. Barger has logged two hits in three of his last four games and has gone 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs and eight RBI in seven games since the beginning of August. |
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Joey Loperfido Joey Loperfido Remains out Saturday
Sat, Aug 9, 2025, 5:21 PM
Loperfido (knee) is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Saturday.
Analysis: It's the third game in a row that Loperfido will not be in the lineup as he continues to nurse a right knee contusion that he suffered against the Rockies on Tuesday. The Blue Jays will start Davis Schneider, Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw in the outfield from left to right. |
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Joey Loperfido Joey Loperfido Absent from Friday's lineup
Fri, Aug 8, 2025, 6:18 PM
Loperfido (knee) is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Friday.
Analysis: Loperfido will be out of the lineup for a second consecutive game while nursing a knee injury that he picked up in Tuesday's win against the Rockies. Davis Schneider, Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw will start in the outfield from left to right in Friday's weekend series opener. |
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Alek Manoah Alek Manoah Makes start at Double-A
Thu, Aug 7, 2025, 7:58 PM
Manoah allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two across three innings in a rehab outing with Double-A New Hampshire on Thursday, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Manoah has been pitching in a combination of rehab outings and simulated games across the last three weeks. While the numbers aren't overwhelmingly positive, Thursday's appearance marked Manoah's longest both in terms of outs recorded and pitches thrown (64). It's unclear how many more rehab starts he'll need, but Manoah could be activated as early as late August. |
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Crushes 18th homer
Thu, Aug 7, 2025, 9:36 AM
Guerrero 4-for-7 with a double, a home run, four runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's rout of the Rockies.
Analysis: Guerrero launched his 18th homer of the year to right-center field off Victor Vodnik in the eighth inning. The 26-year-old slugger was a big part of Toronto's record-setting trip to the Coors Field, going 8-for-17 with two doubles, two homers, four RBI and seven runs over the three games, and both long balls were to the opposite field -- a very strong sign that Guerrero's getting his swing locked in and gearing up for a big finish to the summer. |
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Ernie Clement Ernie Clement Goes yard in four-hit effort
Thu, Aug 7, 2025, 9:32 AM
Clement went 4-for-7 with a double, a solo home run and four total runs scored in Wednesday's rout of the Rockies.
Analysis: His ninth-inning shot off position player Austin Nola gave Clement his sixth homer of the season. The 29-year-old utility player took full advantage of a trip to Coors Field, going 9-for-18 with four extra-base hits and seven runs scored, as the Blue Jays set an MLB record for hits (63) and a franchise record for runs (45) over the three-game series. Through 433 plate appearances this year, Clement has a career-best .290 batting average and .325 OBP while adding three steals, 34 RBI and 61 runs. |
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Ty France Ty France Three doubles in Wednesday's rout
Thu, Aug 7, 2025, 9:26 AM
France went 4-for-4 with three doubles, four runs scored and an RBI in Wednesday's win over the Rockies.
Analysis: The Blue Jays wrapped up a record-setting series with a 20-1 rout, and France was right in the thick of the fireworks. The 31-year-old has three multi-hit performances in 14 games since the All-Star break, with the first two coming as a member of the Twins, and France is slashing .311/.415/.444 over that stretch with six doubles, three RBI and nine runs. Based on his usage since being traded to the Blue Jays, his main role over the final weeks of the season will be to handle first base against left-handed pitchers while Vladimir Guerrero slides over to designated hitter. |
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Bo Bichette Bo Bichette Stays hot vs. Rockies
Wed, Aug 6, 2025, 5:47 PM
Bichette went 2-for-6 with a three-run homer, an RBI double and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 20-1 win over Colorado.
Analysis: Bichette got Toronto's offensive outburst started Wednesday with a two-out, opposite-field blast off Kyle Freeland in the third inning, his 16th homer this year. The 27-year-old shortstop has been on a tear -- Bichette has at least one hit in seven straight games, going 14-for-33 (.424) with three homers, 12 RBI and no strikeouts in that span. Overall, he's slashing .301/.340/.475 with 78 RBI, 58 runs scored and four stolen bases across 514 plate appearances this year. |
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