Blue Jays Injury Updates: Shane Bieber's diligent rehab, plus a surprise end-of-season cameo

As one of the most injured teams in baseball this season, the Toronto Blue Jays have needed frequent injury update articles to keep fans informed this year about all the players who are sitting out and rehabbing from their various ailments.

Luckily, I come bearing good news this time around, including some positive updates about the team's beleaguered pitching staff.

Earlier this week, we learned that Jameson Taillon is expected to return to the Blue Jays on Friday following a multi-week absence due to a forearm injury. Likewise, Trey Yesavage is throwing off a mound and staying ahead of the curve in his recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Shane Bieber, who hit the injured list in late August with shoulder inflammation, isn't quite as far along as those other two starters. However, he's playing catch in Toronto this week and has reportedly done everything in his power to stay game-ready while on the IL.

His injury came at a poor time, seeing as Bieber had finally found a groove on the mound after missing so much time earlier this season. In his final two starts before hitting the IL in August, the right-hander went 2-0 against the Rays and Yankees, allowing a total of two runs (one earned) in 13 innings against the best teams in the AL East.

If he, like Yesavage, can return in time for the final few series of the season (even in a bulk reliever role), the Blue Jays' odds of sneaking into the postseason will skyrocket.

Anthony Santander expected to start rehab assignment next week in Triple-A Buffalo

Well, here's a fun surprise. Santander has been out of action all year long due to offseason shoulder surgery, a procedure which repaired a torn labrum. Now, according to manager John Schneider, the veteran outfielder is hitting off live pitching and is expected to start a rehab assignment in Triple-A Buffalo as soon as next week.

Before anyone gets too excited about a possible Santander comeback story, it's worth noting that even Schneider's optimistic timeline doesn't give him much of a chance to return to the Blue Jays in 2026. After this weekend, the Bisons will only have 12 regular season games remaining, and Santander certainly won't play in all of them as he slowly works his way back from such a serious injury.

In a best-case scenario, perhaps he'll play a few times per week in Triple-A down the stretch. If he's feeling healthy and performing well, the Blue Jays could consider calling him back up for their last gasp at the end of September, but that's an unlikely outcome if Toronto is still competing for a playoff spot at that time.

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