The Blue Jays introduced that right-hander Yimi García has been positioned on the 15-day injured listing with proper elbow ulnar neuritis. Left-hander Brandon Eisert was chosen to the roster in a corresponding transfer. The Jays had two open 40-man spots as Cavan Biggio and Daniel Vogelbach had been designated for project in latest weeks.
It’s unclear how lengthy García will probably be away from the membership but it surely’s a blow nonetheless, with the membership’s bullpen having been hit laborious this yr. Nearer Jordan Romano has twice been positioned on the injured listing because of elbow irritation and remains to be on the shelf in the mean time. He additionally struggled in between these IL stints with an earned run common of 6.59 in his 15 outings. Erik Swanson was purported to be a key setup man for Romano however had an ERA of 9.22 in his 17 appearances earlier than getting optioned to the minors. His 9 Triple-A outings haven’t been significantly better, with an 8.22 ERA in these.
García stepped up and has been the membership’s finest reliever this yr. He has 5 saves and ten holds with a 2.57 ERA, 34.6% strikeout fee and 6.5% stroll fee, however he needed to depart yesterday’s sport with an obvious damage. The membership informed reporters earlier right this moment that García’s MRI confirmed no structural injury, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com on X. Although the prognosis is unclear, it appears the problem is severe sufficient that the Jays determined to let García relaxation up for not less than 15 days.
The Jays got here into the season planning on that Romano/Swanson/García trio anchoring their bullpen however will now should proceed with out all three of them. Romano may very well be the following to return, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet relays on X that the righty may very well be again on a mound as quickly as Wednesday, but it surely’s nonetheless a less-than-ideal set of circumstances for the Jays. The membership’s relievers had a 3.68 ERA final yr, putting them eighth within the league, however this yr’s bullpen group is in twenty seventh place with a 4.69 ERA.
Chad Inexperienced is prone to step into the nearer’s position for now, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet on X. Inexperienced has a 1.76 ERA on the yr however that’s a little bit of a mirage. His 21.8% strikeout fee is definitely under league common and far decrease than his profession fee of 32.1%. His sturdy outcomes this yr have been helped by a .167 batting common on balls in play and 100% strand fee that he gained’t be capable of keep, so getting his punchouts again will probably be key for him and the Jays.
Although the information is glum for García, it’s an thrilling day for Eisert, because the 26-year-old southpaw cracks a giant league roster for the primary time. An 18th-round choice of the Jays in 2019, he wasn’t capable of make his skilled debut till 2021 because of the pandemic.
However since then, he has tossed 215 2/3 innings throughout numerous ranges with a 4.01 ERA, 29.5% strikeout fee and eight% stroll fee. That features 22 2/3 innings at Triple-A Buffalo this yr with an unpleasant 6.35 ERA, although a .442 BABIP is unquestionably enjoying a task in that. The Jays are in all probability extra thinking about his 33% strikeout fee this yr, although Eisert has additionally walked 13.2% of batters confronted. He’ll give the membership a fourth lefty arm alongside Tim Mayza, Génesis Cabrera and Brendon Little.
It might find yourself being a brief keep for Eisert since Yariel Rodríguez goes to be reinstated from the IL in some unspecified time in the future this week, seemingly taking the rotation spot opened by Alek Manoah’s UCL surgical procedure. Over the previous few weeks, Bowden Francis has been overlaying that spot as a bulk man, with Trevor Richards usually serving as an opener. But when Rodríguez can take over that rotation spot, Richards and Francis can transfer to the reduction combine to attempt to offset the lack of García considerably.
