John Schneider pinpoints Addison Barger’s injury as the one that hurt the Blue Jays most

The 2026 season for the Toronto Blue Jays was defined by their injuries. Whether it be their pitching staff or their hitting stars, very few players went through the entire year unscathed.

But when it comes to the injury that perhaps impacted Toronto’s success, or failure, the most, Blue Jays manager John Schneider believed it was budding star Addison Barger's absence that stung the most. According to Thomas Hall of MLB.com, the Blue Jays expected big things from Barger both at the plate and in the field this past year and that never materialized.

In 2025, Barger had a breakout campaign with the Blue Jays. He put together a .243 batting average and .756 OPS, with 61 runs scored, 32 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBIs in 135 games played. He also showed his value during their postseason run giving the team a .367 average and 1.024 OPS, with eight runs scored, three home runs and nine RBIs in 17 playoff games.

That left-handed power gave Schneider a dangerous option in the middle of the order, while his ability to handle multiple defensive assignments created valuable flexibility. That was on full display in the World Series when Barger hit the first ever pinch-hit grand slam in the fall classic.

The Blue Jays never found a way to replace Barger’s impact

His tools were difficult to replace this past season. The Blue Jays tried to get that kind of production out of players like Jesús Sánchez, Yohendrick Piñango, and Myles Straw, but it just wasn't enough to cover Barger's production.

Especially when it appeared as though Barger was ready to take his game to another level in 2026, but injuries and eventually surgery limited the 26-year-old outfielder to nine games. It wasn't a productive nine games either since he hit just .045 with a .305 OPS, and two runs scored, one hit, two RBIs, five walks and seven strikeouts in 22 total at-bats.

Had Barger been able to stay healthy and put up similar numbers to 2025, the Blue Jays likely would have had a better chance of making the postseason. Not only could he provide impact at the plate, he could also have been very valuable in the field as well. With his cannon of an arm on display he would have given the outfield defense a huge boost. Unfortunately, that play on May 9 also played a role in ending his season early.

Given the offense turmoil the Blue Jays endured in 2026, a fully healthy season from Barger could do wonders in 2027.

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