Injured Blue Jays' pitchers taking steps toward a successful recovery

If anything defined spring training for the Toronto Blue Jays, it was injuries. More specifically, injuries to the starting rotation.

Before camp even began, Shane Bieber was ruled out for an extended period of time with elbow inflammation. Bowden Francis joined him on the injured list, except his elbow troubles proved to be far more serious, requiring Tommy John surgery. The subsequent recovery will hold him out for all of 2026.

José Berrios (elbow stress fracture) and Trey Yesavage (shoulder impingement) were soon to follow, though thankfully neither injury was deemed all too serious. And, thankfully, some good news has finally started pouring in, with both Berrios and Bieber scheduled to throw off mounds.

Likewise, Yesavage has already begun his throwing program. There's no firm timeline on any of their respective returns to Toronto, but there's hope that all three could be pitching for the Blue Jays again before April is over.

Blue Jays soon to get rotation reinforcements

You never want to see your team dig too deep into the pitching reserves at any point in the season, but losing 60% of the starting rotation prior to Opening Day is a devastating blow. Luckily, the front office planned for this, and the trio of Max Scherzer, Cody Ponce, and Eric Lauer will cover the back-end of the rotation until the aforementioned triumvirate is ready to return.

Bieber's recovery will almost certainly take the longest, seeing as he never even began to ramp up for the regular season. If he responds well to throwing off a mound, he'll likely head to the team's player development complex for a faux spring training; if all goes according to plan, Bieber could begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo some time in April.

Yesavage sounds the closest to returning, having already completed a simulated appearance. He's scheduled to make a minor-league outing in Dunedin next week, which puts his timeline to return to Jays' rotation somewhere in the next few weeks.

Berrios' situation is the hardest to determine. He reported feeling no pain in his elbow despite being diagnosed with a stress fracture, but that's not the easiest injury in the world to pitch through. He's already thrown a side session at the team's complex, so his return seems closer to aligning with that of Yesavage rather than the elongated process Bieber will undergo.

While these reports offer plenty of reason for optimism, preserving the health of each pitcher is obviously the team's top priority, meaning any setback will be handled with caution. It's still very early in the season, and the Blue Jays have the depth to weather the storm.