After a long, injury-plagued month, the Toronto Blue Jays finally returned Addison Barger to action over the weekend. He went 0-for-3 in his return agains the Los Angeles Angels, but he mustered two walks and made his presence felt on defense. It felt like a turning point in what's been a disappointing campaign thus far.
Well, so much for that idea. Barger is heading back to the injured list after just one game with what the Blue Jays are calling "right elbow inflammation."
ROSTER MOVES:
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 11, 2026
🔹 OF Yohendrick Piñango recalled from Triple-A and will be active tonight
🔹 RHP Yariel RodrÃguez selected to the Major League roster and will be active tonight
🔹 INF/OF Addison Barger (right elbow inflammation) placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May 10… pic.twitter.com/AdXy3LNapf
The good news here is that Barger's injury isn't related to the double-ankle issue that held him out for most of April. The bad news is that it is related to the same elbow that unleashed a 101.2 mph outfield assist over the weekend, suggesting that we may not see him in the field again anytime soon, even if his stay on the IL is short.
At least he isn't a pitcher -- there are plenty of examples of hitters tending to elbow soreness who don't struggle at the plate (just look at Shohei Ohtani during his Tommy John recovery years). And, hey, at least we get to watch Yohendrick Piñango hit some more now.
Blue Jays get chance to correct Yohendrick Piñango mistake as Addison Barger returns to IL
In order to make room for Barger on the active roster, the Blue Jays curiously demoted Piñango, despite the fact that the 24-year-old was hitting .423/.444/.462 (160 wRC+) through his first 10 MLB games.
Yes, there are clear flaws in his game, including a scant 3.7% walk rate and a bad habit of chasing pitches outside the zone. But someone who swings hard, rarely strikes out, and makes a ton of contact is a valuable hitter, and one who perfectly fits the Blue Jays' modus operandi on offense.
Hopefully, Barger's stay on the IL will be short, though we don't have any firm timeline on his return. Expect the team to be even more cautious this time around, knowing that his new elbow issue only complicates how he manages his ankles.
Piñango isn't quite the same caliber of defender, but he can capably fill in until Barger returns. Jesús Sánchez and Myles Straw can also form a capable platoon in one of the corner outfield spots, though neither is as good as Barger is at the plate.
At least we did get one other silver lining from this batch of updates: We no longer have to watch Eric Lauer pitch or complain about pitching for the Blue Jays anymore. Thank goodness.