Shane Bieber, Yimi García getting closer to returning to the Toronto Blue Jays

Reinforcements are on the way for the injury-ravaged Toronto Blue Jays, with starting pitcher Shane Bieber and reliever Yimi García both making progress.

Manager John Schneider told reporters that Bieber will start his rehab assignment on Monday with a two-inning game in the Florida Complex League. He’ll build up his volume from there, pitching in Dunedin before progressing to Double-A or Triple-A if everything goes well. 

García, meanwhile, threw a 30-pitch bullpen on Friday. The team hopes he will progress to facing live hitters sometime this week. Neither Bieber nor García has an exact timeline, but both could be back in June barring any setbacks. Their returns would provide a Blue Jays pitching staff that has been depleted by injuries with a massive shot in the arm. 

Who gets sent down when Bieber and García come back?

There are usually tricky roster decisions to make when a player returns from injury, but things appear straightforward regarding García’s activation. 

Yariel Rodríguez will probably be the odd man out. The Blue Jays outrighted him off their 40-man roster after the 2025 season concluded, and he hasn’t done much to change their perception of him since returning to the big club.

Rodríguez blew a game against the New York Yankees with a four-run implosion on May 18th. He wasn’t much better on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, walking two batters and committing an egregious throwing error before being relieved by rookie Adam Macko. He should be off the team as soon as a competent alternative is available.

Assuming García returns before Bieber and Rodríguez gets designated for assignment as the corresponding move, the next man to go is probably reliever Chase Lee. 

What happens in the starting rotation when Bieber returns is more interesting. Patrick Corbin has earned the right to keep his starting rotation spot, but Spencer Miles has also seriously impressed as the “bulk guy” during the team’s bullpen games. He looks like a future starter. 

The most likely scenario is that Corbin sticks in the rotation while Miles is pushed back into a more traditional bullpen role. The Blue Jays could then use him in long relief or in high-leverage situations, knowing they have five established starters in their rotation. 

A lot can change in a few weeks, though. A few rough outings from Corbin and continued excellence from Miles could lead the Blue Jays down a different path. It’s not impossible to envision a scenario where Corbin becomes the long reliever while Miles starts, but that’s unlikely given the latter had just 14.2 professional innings under his belt before coming into this season.
What matters most for the Blue Jays is getting two impact pitchers back on the roster in Bieber and García. They will be a much stronger team with them in the fold.

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