Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger has missed 27 straight games, and manager John Schneider gave the latest read on his recovery Monday.
The 26-year-old has appeared in just nine games this season, slowed first by an ankle injury and then by right elbow inflammation after returning from the ankle injury that sent him to the injured list on May 10.
The layoff has stalled a player coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he hit .243 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs in 135 games. He was even better in the playoffs, posting a .367 batting average, a .441 on-base percentage and a .583 slugging percentage, capped by the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.
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Toronto has spent much of the season working around a crowded injury list, making Barger one of the several bats the club is still waiting on.
Per Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, Schneider said that Barger continues to ramp up his hitting at the team’s complex in Dunedin, Florida and is "making progress." He has not yet returned to game action and must still clear live batting practice and a minor league rehab assignment before making his return with the Blue Jays.
With Schneider limiting his comments on Barger's status, it's unclear just how soon Barger would be ready to take to the field.
If the progression continues, Barger could begin a rehab assignment in the coming weeks and target a return by late June or early July. A healthy Barger would give Toronto a much-needed left-handed power bat as the team continues to fight in the American League East at 32-34.
