Blue Jays news: Guerrero Jr. rehab update, Sosa waiver decision and pitching help on the way

At this time of the year, every healthy body is needed and the Toronto Blue Jays could be getting a few of those back on the major league roster very soon. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Joe Mantiply and Spencer Arrighetti are all taking positive steps in their respective progressions. With the Blue Jays trying to stay alive in the postseason picture, these are three names who could play significant roles on the team down the stretch.

For Guerrero, he's currently on the 7-day IL concussion protocol. He was kneed in the head by New York Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr. during a game last weekend. Guerrero was put on the IL but has been progressing quickly and will play with the Dunedin Blue Jays in Clearwater tonight (Aug. 20). If all goes well with Guerrero, he could rejoin the team on the weekend during their series in New York.

Mantiply hasn't played with the Blue Jays since May 17. He was placed on the 15-day IL on May 19 with left knee inflammation and the original diagnosis was that it would just be a few weeks before he would be ready to go again. At the time, that was welcomed news as the 35-year-old left-hander had posted a 2.04 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 17.2 innings pitched.

Unfortunately, it's taken a little longer for Mantiply to get back to pitching for the Blue Jays since the inflammation didn't subside and he had to have arthroscopic surgery. That surgery took place late May and Mantiply is now on the mend, and throwing again in games. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning in Dunedin for the Single-A Blue Jays on Wednesday night (Aug. 19)

The Blue Jays seem to be rotating through left-handers in their bullpen right now with Mason Fluharty being the anchor. Brendon Little has been really good since being recalled in July and Brendan Cellucci, was just called up for his MLB debut. It's likely Mantiply could take his place if there are no further set backs in his recovery.

Arrighetti, acquired at the trade deadline in the trade that sent Daulton Varsho to the Houston Astros, threw a bullpen on Wednesday and told the team he was feeling good after that activity. He was rehabbing a foot injury at the time of the trade and has pitched in a couple of games with Triple-A Buffalo.

Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports that Arrighetti could be activated off the IL on Friday and possibly start against the Yankees on Friday, or be used as a bulk option after an opener. Arrighetti could give the Blue Jays something much closer to a five-man rotation. With Trey Yesavage and Jameson Taillon landing on the IL recently, the Blue Jays have gone with a four-man crew consisting of Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer.

Blue Jays get Lenyn Sosa through waivers as infield depth walking a tight rope

One player who may have less of an impact on the team's playoff push, but who could be called up again at some point, is Lenyn Sosa. The 26-year-old infielder is also on a rehab assignment, but was out of options and the Blue Jays decided to put him on waivers a week ago.

None of the other 29 clubs picked him up so he has been outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo. Due to his three years of service time in MLB, Sosa could refuse the assignment and test the open market, but if anyone was actually interested, they could have just claimed him.

Sosa was hitting .195/.207/.283 this season in 40 games played between the Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox. He had one home run, with a 21.4% strikeout rate and a 0.9% walk rate, a year after he hit 22 bombs for the south siders.

Right now, the Blue Jays have a bench with just one infielder and going into Thursday afternoon's series finale against Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays needed Charles McAdoo to start at third base, Kazuma Okamoto to start at first base, Andrés Giménez at short and Ernie Clement at second, leaving Josh Smith as the lone infield bench bat.

In the fifth inning, Giménez was pulled from the game after trying to hustle out a ground ball, but he appeared to have hurt himself just before getting to first base. He pulled up and was limping as he was escorted off the field by the Blue Jays' training staff and was replaced defensively. Toronto used Brandon Valenzulea at first, moved Okamoto to third, McAdoo went to second and Clement moved to short.

Getting Vladdy back on Saturday would certainly change that dynamic and give them some more depth, but for the guys who can play up the middle, there might be a need to bring back Sosa just for some insurance.

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