Blue Jays announce key roster decisions ahead of Opening Day

The Blue Jays roster picture is starting to come into focus.

On Saturday, Toronto manager John Schneider spoke to reporters and broke down some roster decisions ahead of Opening Day. As a part of those decisions, Schneider announced that Davis Schneider and backup catcher Tyler Heineman have made the Opening Day roster along with reliever Nick Sandlin.

Additionally, John Schneider said that Daulton Varsho will start the season on the injured list and will rehab in Florida.

Blue Jays announce key roster decisions ahead of Opening Day

While the trio of players knowing they'll make the roster is big news, Varsho starting the season on the injured list is arugebly bigger news.

He's swung the bat well this spring, but has only been able to play designated hitter while he works himself back from a shoulder injury.

He'll spend his rehab stint at the Blue Jays' complex in Dunedin before heading out to minor league games on rehab, Schneider said as relayed by Sportsnets' Arden Zwelling. While it likely won't be a minimum injured list stint, it seems like Varsho could return at some point in April.

Varsho's injury opens up the door for some other outfielders to potentially break camp with the team, with Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Alan Roden and Steward Berroa emerging as options for a spot, per Zwelling.

Straw stands out as an obvious choice to take Varsho's spot, as he can play Gold Glove defense in center field and has hit the ball well this spring. Per Zwelling, the Blue Jays want to carry two players who can play center field reguarly, so there's a chance that Roden could work his way into the picture as well.

Roden's impressed all spring and is one of the fastest risers in the Blue Jays' system. Neither player is on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, however, so the team would need to make some roster shuffling to fit them into the Opening Day roster.

While Davis Schneider can play some outfield, he's limited to left field, so his inclusion on the roster won't stop the Blue Jays from adding someone who can play center field.

Schneider burst onto the scene in 2023 before struggling last year, but he's had a good spring and seems to be getting back to driving the ball with power.

Heineman spent all of the offseason on the 40-man roster, so it's not a huge surprise that he made Toronto's roster, especially when you consider that he's out of minor league options.

Alejandro Kirk should get the lion's share of starts behind the dish, but expect to see Heineman a couple days a week at the start of the season.