The Toronto Blue Jays have gotten off to a rough start this season, sitting at 21-26 and below .500. Early injuries to key players, an inconsistent bullpen, and an offense that has struggled to produce runs compared to previous years have all contributed to the team’s disappointing start.
Third baseman Addison Barger has been heavily impacted by injuries and has seen a major decline in offensive production. In nine games this season, he has posted a .045 batting average, .214 on-base percentage, and .305 OPS with no home runs and two RBIs.
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Barger has dealt with two separate injuries this season. He first suffered an ankle sprain in April that forced him to miss more than a month.
More recently, he sustained an elbow sprain after unleashing a blistering 101.2 mph throw from right field to home plate to cut down a runner, which immediately caused elbow inflammation and landed him back on the injured list.
According to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, Barger is in Toronto for a follow-up appointment with a doctor to determine whether he can resume hitting and throwing activities. If all goes well, it would be a positive step toward his return and help him regain his rhythm at the plate.
The Blue Jays are hoping to get the same version of Barger they had last season, when he posted a .243 batting average, .301 on-base percentage, and .756 OPS with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs across 135 games.
Toronto selected Barger in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he signed a one-year, $811,000 contract with the club before this season. With the Blue Jays viewing him as a core piece of their future, there is plenty of pressure on him to perform once he returns.
