3 underrated players the Blue Jays are deeply missing (who will return this season)

After struggling to send a lot of balls into the seats in the first two-plus weeks of the season, the Toronto Blue Jays mashed their way to two victories over the Atlanta Braves earlier this week.

And it seems like their power potential could be growing soon thanks to the return of Daulton Varsho.

Varsho isn't the only injured Blue Jay who could be back soon, as relievers Erik Swanson and Ryan Burr are both working their way toward a return to Toronto's bullpen.

The Blue Jays are less a game behind the Yankees for first place in the American League East, so they'll take all the reinforcements they can get.

Here's why those three injured Blue Jays have been missed.

3 underrated players the Blue Jays are deeply missing (who will return this season)

Daulton Varsho

Varsho showcased his power in the spring by mashing four home runs in just 12 games. He didn't get a chance to carry that over to the majors, however, as he was placed on the injured list at the start of the season due to the recovery process for his offseason shoulder surgery. While he could swing a bat, he still wasn't at a point where he was able to play the field.

But, after a month of rehab at the team's spring training complex in Florida, Varsho is set to start his rehab assignment this weekend with Single-A Dunedin. From there, he could have a quick stopover in Triple-A before joining the Blue Jays.

Varsho has a golden opportunity to redeem himself this season. He hit a career high 27 home runs with the Diamondbacks in 2022, but has only cleared the 20 home run plateau once with the Blue Jays.

Ryan Burr

Burr has been dealing with right shoulder inflammation but is making progress with his rehab and threw a bullpen session on April 12.

While the Blue Jays' bullpen had a 4.83 ERA last year, Burr was one of the bright spots (4.13 ERA in 32 2/3 innings).

Burr recorded a career-high 33.6% strikeout rate last season and was great on the road (0.57 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 15 2/3 innings away from Rogers Centre).

Erik Swanson

Swanson has been on the injured list with elbow discomfort since March 27, but he could also be making his return soon. Swanson took a big step in his rehab by facing live hitters on April 15, and, if all goes well, he could make his return to the Blue Jays by the end of the month.

While Swanson posted a 5.03 ERA in 39 1/3 innings last year, he got better as the season went on (2.55 ERA in the second half). The 31-year-old has been with the Blue Jays since 2023 and can be a solid set up man when healthy.

In 2023 he sported a solid strikeout rate of 28.6% which was arguably his best season in his career (2.97 ERA, 66.2 innings). He'll likely fit into the middle-leverage opportunities with Chad Green and Brendon Little.